Written by: Roscoe |  Print this post and share it with your buddies!

EVERYBODY DOES IT
Virtually all countries and cuisines fry potatoes. From Belgium to Bulgaria, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, France (of course), Germany, Ireland, Poland, they all make fries, mostly called pommes frites.

FRENCH FRIES
Practically a staple here the U S of A, Belgians claim to have invented French Fries. Sounds weird, doesn’t it? But a Belgian entrepreneur named Fritz started selling French Fries at fairs around 1862. Guy probably got rich and retired, franchised out his business, and look what we have today.

WE EAT THE MOST
Nobody eats more French fries than we do in the U S. Are we proud of that? Why not? Gotta be proud of something. Is there anything better than a French Fry? Maybe, but it’s hard to find. Just put some down on a table, it won’t take long before they’re gone. And it seems no one is shy about eating the last one.

CONDIMENTS
Fries are served with everything from ketchup, the most popular topping, to mayonnaise, to peanut sauce (Philippines), mustard, blue cheese, sugar and soft butter (Vietnam), just about anything you can think of. Here at Club Roscoe we encourage our members to try new toppings, like we always say, eat what you like. But there’s one kind of fries that beats all others when guys get together:

CHILI CHEESE FRIES
And they’re simple to make. Three ingredients, right? How easy is that? But as simple as this dish is, we’re here to offer a few suggestions:

THE FRENCH FRY PAN
Non-stick and perforated, you can get one at any grocery store, or go online, type in French Fry pan, and a list will come up, $8.99 to around $24. Worth every penny. This pan will get your fries crispier than a regular baking sheet.

THE FRIES
Why go through all that deep frying mess when you can get good frozen fries almost anywhere? The Club Roscoe test kitchens have found that Trader Joe’s Crinkle Wedge Potatoes are right up there among the best for this dish, they cook up quickly and keep crispy under the chili and cheese. Just follow the directions on the package with your French Fry pan and you’re good to go.

THE CHILI
See: Chili – The True American Recipe. Let’s face it, you can open a can of chili if you’re really in a pinch, but Roscoe can’t give any recommendation there, as he hasn’t eaten canned chili since he was stranded in a snowed-in cabin in Michigan back in his Boy Scout days. Besides, this is Cookin’ With Roscoe, not opening cans with Roscoe. So next time you make chili, throw a bag of it in the freezer for your Chili Cheese Fries (or chili cheese dogs).

THE CHEESE
Roscoe recommends a mix of pepper Jack and smoked cheddar (shredded). But use whatever kind of cheese you like. Experiment. Let us know what works.

PUT IT ALL TOGETHER
Line a baking sheet with foil (helps later with the cleanup), spread the crispy fries on, lather the chili on top, then cover with the cheese. Your oven is still hot from the fries (350), slide the whole thing in and grab a beer. Check it in about ten minutes to see how the cheese is melting. When it’s oozing down into the chili and fries, sprinkle some chopped green onions on top and let it go another minute or two (if you can).

SERVE WITH TONGS
Tongs make it easy to scoop the fries onto your plate, and besides, guys like the feel of them in their hand, almost like a weapon but not deadly sharp like a knife.

THE ALL AMERICAN SIDE
If Chili is the True american Recipe, then chili cheese fries are right up there with it.

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-Roscoe