The food trend of 2021: loaded fries
Say wine, snacks or haute cuisine and the gourmands at online food magazine FavorFlav know where to drink, how to eat it and what to cook. This time our cheffies serve you: loaded fries.
Recently we wrote about the brilliant Mexican loaded fries and we are still lyrical about the rendang fries. In fact, sometimes I make extra rendang so that I can eat it on fries the next day. Because fries with a topping: nothing but love.
It's actually strange that the massive breakthrough of loaded fries didn't happen much earlier, because we've been enjoying them for years and no combination is too crazy for us. For example, we regularly eat the loaded fries with pulled pork and cheesy beer sauce of barbecue guru Jord Althuizen, and also the poutine has been a fries with benefits, here in the editorial office.
Increasingly luxurious
Loaded fries, fries with a combination of surprising ingredients, are becoming increasingly popular in snack land. Sure, we can almost order a kapsalon anywhere – yes, even abroad – but we will really see loaded fries much more often at snack bars. And the offerings go much further than just pulled pork fries. Fries with salmon flakes, chocolate, ice cream, seaweed, lime mayonnaise, caviar, chimichurri; we will see it all, according to the hospitality trade magazine Misset Horeca. And notably: toppings are also becoming more luxurious.
Black winter truffle
Burger specialist Ter Marsch & Co showed at the recent Horecava how to create such insane loaded fries – and also walked away with the coveted trophy for the Tastiest Fries 2020. Chef Mitch Kramer made the winning fries ‘Sweet Fries of Mine’ from sweet potato, combined with mayonnaise made from black winter truffle, Parmesan cheese, cheese-peanut crumble, dried Dutch sausage, and fried parsley.
Sweet Fries of Mine
Michelin-star loaded fries
Truffle is definitely a winner; research has shown that truffle mayo fries are the fries of the future. Star chef Sergio Herman also worked with these luxury delicacies for the creation of his new fries ‘We Go French’: fries with homemade trufflemayonnaise (made from black truffle from the French region of Périgord), shallot, mustard greens, and freshly roasted hazelnuts. I don't know about you, but as soon as the hospitality industry is open again, you'll see me at the nearest Frites Atelier.
‘We Go French’
Aside from this vegetarian fries, we are seeing more and more vegan toppings, such as vegan chicken pieces, vegan cheese products, and plant-based mayonnaises. And speaking of cheese, loaded cheese fries, or fries with cheese sauce, are also becoming increasingly popular. Think of loaded fries with cheese and chili sauce, with bacon and spring onion, or with guacamole. Cheese simply combines very well with a variety of flavors and ingredients, so this is a real match.
Price winner
What are you waiting for? Quickly get into the kitchen to make your own loaded fries or grab the award-winning ‘Sweet Fries of Mine’ at the Rotterdam and Amsterdam locations of Ter Marsch & Co. Order their award-winning burger with it…
Image: Frites Atelier © Chantal Arnts
