They are a symbol, a national pride. They are part of our culture. The fries are the stars of the week.
Wallonia wants to promote quality agriculture. And if there is one product that we master at home, it is the potato. Every year, French fry week reminds us of this.
Unfortunately, there are difficult years due to the weather. This season, for example, the harvest is not as good as hoped.
We went to a producer in Amay.
Less good yield, but stable prices
In the fields, machines are harvesting the last potatoes. Mathieu Comijn is producer. It must be finished before the first frost. And the observation is clear: the yield is less good this year. “We planted historically late” he testifies. “My father, who is 73 years old, had never experienced this. Due to late planting, the potato had fewer growing days.”
The harvest is less good, but prices are not expected to increase: “Our neighboring countries have better harvests than ours, so for the consumer, the price will not increase between now and January I think.”
Double cooking for perfect fries
As for quality, don’t panic in the chip shops. The product remains completely usable: “The most important thing is obviously cooking. You must first precook the fries at 140 degrees in beef fat. Then, what is very important, is to let them rest and cool. Finally , you can immerse them at 180 degrees, and that’s what will give them the crispy and soft side inside.”
A crunchy and soft taste that still appeals to the population. One in five Belgians eat fries at least once a week.
Let us specify that each year, Wallonia produces between 2 and 2.5 million potatoes.
Belgium
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