Over the next few weeks, I’ll be adding some recipes to the site and, indeed, plan over the long term to add more and more. But for now, I had to choose how to begin, and it came to me that it really, truly, just had to be my Tuscan Fries that kicked the whole game off. Now, I say ‘my’ but in fact the inspiration comes from the wonderful Cesare Pavese, whose cooking I first encountered in a restaurant - owned by his family - in Lucca, called Vipore, with a breathtaking view over the Tuscan hills. All I know is that gazing at all that beauty I ate the most wonderful golden fries, with garlic cloves and herbs thrown into the pan towards the end of cooking.
But these chips start off in a very untraditional manner too: the oil you put the chipped potatoes in is cold. You may be full of doubt and derision at this strange step. You just have to cook these once to be persuaded though. So go on, what are you waiting for?