WHAT MAKES CHEZ VINCENT SPECIAL?
CHEZ VINCENT USES ONLY PURE VEGETABLE OILS
Chez Vincent chooses to cook its fries in pure vegetable oils as these are healthier than animal or vegetable fats which contains manu saturated fats, responsible for increased cholesterol and risk of cardiovascular disease. For a healthier diet it is recommended to replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats.
- Animal fat mainly contains saturated fat.
- Vegetable fat contains quite a lot of saturated and trans fatty acids.
- Vegetable oil contains unsaturated fats and virtually no trans fatty acids. This makes it ideally suited for frying and our logical choice.
Amongst the more popular vegetable oils used for frying are : sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, soy oil and palm oil. At chez Vincent® we use our own blend of various vegetable oils to cook our delicious fries.
All frying oils with maximum of 5% trans fatty acids get the quality label ‘Responsible Frying’. Chez Vincent® is proud to say that our frying oil has received this quality label.
NICE TO KNOW
FRENCH FRIES OR BELGIAN FRIES?
Even though they are called ‘French Fries’ in English, they do not originate in France, but – as you may well have guessed – in Belgium.
In the 17th century, the peasant population of the Namur province used to fry the fish they caught. When the river froze over during winter, the people had to substitute their fish for potatoes. They cut them into fish-shaped pieces, and fried them just like they did with the fish. This is how fries were born!
So where does the name ‘French Fries’ come from? Simple: In English, ‘to french’ means ‘to slice into thin strips’. ‘French Fries’ means – in short – ‘frenched fried potatoes’!
Of course, this is just one of the many stories that explains the origin… to be continued!
CHIPS SHOPS: UNDOUBTEDLY HISTORICAL
One day, someone must have had the idea that fries are so delicious, that maybe the people on the streets and the foreigners visiting our cities, would also like some fries without having to take out their own deep fryer. And suddenly, the first chips shop was born.
Did you know the first chips shops were mobile? At night, owners did not get permission to remain on the streets, so they rolled their stand to a storage every evening. Only after the second World War, a permanent location was allowed. The owners disassembled the wheels from their mobile stand, put them on wooden chocks and closed the lower sides. This in turn inspired many bar- and restaurant holders. They added a side- and back wall to their place, and expanded it with a fry stand. This is how the first stationary fry stands came to be.
Nowadays, you cannot drive through a Belgian village without finding a chips shop on your way. Where it used to be converted old caravans, discarded vans or a wreck of a bus, you now find a nice chalet-styled stand at busy cross roads. Whenever you get hungry after a soccer game or a visit to the local market, you are sure to find an hearty meal with fries from a mobile chips shop.
Chips shops exist in all shapes and sizes. And this is definitely a good thing, because as diverse as fries are, humans are too. And yet, we all like to enjoy delicious fries from the fry stand together!
OUR SECRET RECIPE
3 great tips for delicious, crispy, golden fresh fries.
- Choose the right type of potato: a hard-boiling potato such as ‘Bintjes’ is ideal for making fries.
- Peel the potatoes, rinse them with cold water and pat dry with a tea towel. That way, they’ll get a nice golden colour while frying.
- Fry the potatoes twice: first for about 5 to 6 minutes at 132-136°C. During this first preparatory frying, the potato will lose a great deal of its moisture. Let the fries rest for half an hour. Fry them a second time for a few minutes at 168°C until they turn gold. Take them out of the frying pan and shake well to get rid of any excessive oil. Serve your home-made fries in a paper cone, add sauce, and allow yourself a treat, like a nice snack.
Have a great meal!