I love spuds.

"I give every french fry a fair chance." - Cameron Diaz

Cameron, you're a girl after my own heart. I, too, love a good french fry. Or any form of potato for that matter. If I had to make the cliche choice of just one food for the rest of my life I would pick potatoes without even thinking about it. So long as I could endlessly change up the toppings and method of cooking. I like them fried, baked, boiled, mashed, hash browns, with garlic, with ketchup with nothing. I laugh when waitresses offer me the choice of salad or fries - as if there is a choice. I've been known to make a special trip to McDonald's just to order fries with their spicy hot mustard sauce (you have to pay extra, but it's worth it).

As you can see, I've eaten a lot of spuds in my life. Probably more than you're average 33 year old American woman. I don't consider myself an expert but I am certainly a connoisseur. Last week I ate, with out a doubt, the best french fries I have ever had. The best part - I didn't even know it was coming. I ordered these fries on a whim at a bar that I almost never go to. What if I hadn't been hungry, what if I'd suggested another watering hole? What if I hadn't ordered that third vodka and soda and therefore not been just drunk enough to think fries were a good idea?Oh, the terror to even think about it! I met my former co-workers at Jabu's in lower Queen Anne. Now this is a fine bar, they serve alcohol, play music and have lots of games to distract you - but nothing ever suggested to me how delicious their french fries are. No one has ever mentioned this bar to me in the numerous conversations I've had about my love of potatoes. How has this not been discovered? The fries came out piping hot, they were somewhere between a steak fry and an average width fry, sprinkled with just the right amount of salt and - and this is key - with the skins still on. Some of the fries were crispy and some were a bit softer and had just the right amount of oil on them. I was in fry heaven. I'm sure my friends were disgusted by the pace at which I was scarfing these fries down - but I did not care. If you live in the Seattle area, and you love fries, I urge you go to Jabu's and give them a try.

Jabu's Pub, 174 Roy St, Seattle, WA 98109.


And since we're on the subject, here's a list of some other potatoes I love and where you can get them.

• Best Fast Food French Fry - Zip's Drive In, several locations in Eastern Washington State
• Best Sweet Potato Fry - The Palm Restaurant, several locations throughout the US.
• Best Mashed Potatoes - Sour Cream Whipped Yukon Gold Potatoes at Moxie , W. 816 Sprague, Spokane, Washington
• Best Potato Salad - Mary Cummins, Richland, WA - most of you will never get to taste this, so just take my word for it. Outstanding!
• Best Potato Chip - Ruffles All Dressed Chips, only available in Canada
• Best Way To Make Potatoes At Home - roasted reds, recipe follows
  

Roasted Red Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary

Ingredients:

5 medium red potatoes, cut into 2 inch chunks

2-4 cloves garlic, minced (depends on how much garlic you like, can be omitted entirely)

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped very fine

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Sea Salt

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees, place your baking sheet in the oven while it pre heats. If you put the potatoes on a hot baking sheet they will be crispier when they come out.

While the oven is heating chop your potatoes and rosemary and mince your garlic. In a large mixing bowl mix potatoes, rosemary and garlic with the melted butter (using butter is also key for crispness). Once oven is heated pour potato mixture onto hot baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 20 minutes. Use a spatula to give the potatoes a turn and then bake for 10 minutes more or until you can put a fork through them.

These directions are for two servings. This can easily be scaled up to feed more people.

Enjoy!