The dreaded “hollow fry.”There are a lot of things that the McDonald’s corporation
does wrong, but also some it does right. French fries are one
of them. Through millions of dollars’ worth of research and
a partnership with the J. R. Simplot company—the inventor
of the modern frozen French fry—they long ago discovered
the key to both washing away excess simple sugars and
ensuring that the pectin doesn’t break down during frying:
parcook the potatoes in 170°F water for precisely 15
minutes. This accomplishes two things: First, it washes away
excess simple sugars. Second, and more important, it