Does shape matter?

[JAS_OH1]

Yep - it`s still there; there´s one just over the river from Cincinnati, in Covington.
I´d be embarrassed to eat in a place like that.

This reminded me of hearing about a local "gentlemen's club" (AKA strip club) where they served food to guys who were just feet away from women who were on stage dancing naked (or nearly naked). I find that rather disgusting from a sanitary aspect. I suppose if one chooses to eat naked in their own homes that's their business, but who knows about the bathing habits of the women on stage...not some place I would want to eat or even drink in, for that matter.

My girls were always funny growing up in that they liked small pancakes and other foods because they thought small food was cute. They also loved when I would make cookies that were heart shaped or shaped like animals, LOL. So both size and shape matter! And my husband definitely thinks that shape matters when it comes to pasta, and I guess it's true depending on what's going on top of the pasta. I like long pastas like fettucine, linguine, spaghetti, angel hair, no matter what's going on top. He prefers penne, rigatoni, rotini, etc. I don't remember if I posted about that before earlier in this thread.

 

[medtran49]

There used to be a US restaurant where all of the female servers were required to have large breasts. You ever heard of a chain called "Hooters"? They somehow got away with it. I am not certain if that chain still exists.

As the others have noted, yes. There is also a chain called "Twin Peaks." I'll let you figure out what the "peaks" are. We have both in the same shopping center not 5 minutes from work.

 

[medtran49]

I thought about this when my on-line delivery substituted crinkle cut oven chips (fries in the US) for my normal straight cut. I really don't like crinkle cut chips nor do I like crinkle cut crisps (chips in the US). I'm not sure why I dislike them so much. I mean, after all its the same product but just a different shape.

Are there foods that you like or dislike when they are cut in a certain shape?

I like fried crinkle cuts because the crinkles are extra crispy and the inside is soft and fluffy.

Personally, I absolutely cannot stand the really thin straight cut fries. More often than not, they are overcooked and like leather.

...and then there is pasta. The shapes are supposed to be chosen for specific sauces depending on the way they will hold the sauce. Do any of us really choose pasta shapes for that reason?

Sure do. If it's plain marinara, don't really care and will use whatever is in house, well other than linguini or fettucini. Otherwise, I try to match the pasta to the sauce.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Personally, I absolutely cannot stand the really thin straight cut fries. More often than not, they are overcooked and like leather.

They have a name for them here, shoestring fries. It's a pretty good description.

 

[Yorky]

They have a name for them here, shoestring fries. It's a pretty good description.

If my memory serves me correctly there's not a substantial difference in taste.

 

[Windigo]

They have a name for them here, shoestring fries. It's a pretty good description.

Ah right, that's the word I was looking for to describe steppegras fries. I love them.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

If my memory serves me correctly there's not a substantial difference in taste.

I find them very oily and there's not much of a soft fluffy chip inside. Most of the flavour appears to be what's added to the shoestring fries. But I don't really like French fries either. Much prefer chunky chips

 

[Yorky]

I find them very oily and there's not much of a soft fluffy chip inside. Most of the flavour appears to be what's added to the shoestring fries. But I don't really like French fries either. Much prefer chunky chips

I was comparing the taste of "shoestring fries" with "shoe laces".

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I was comparing the taste of "shoestring fries" with "shoe laces".

Yeah, i know you were. I'd agree. Only oily shoelaces!

 

[garlichead]

Yeah, i know you were. I'd agree. Only oily shoelaces!

Shoestring aren't my favorite but generally don't find them either too oily or a lack of fluffy interior. My favorite are triple cooked wedge type, but they are a job.

 

[JAS_OH1]

As the others have noted, yes. There is also a chain called "Twin Peaks." I'll let you figure out what the "peaks" are. We have both in the same shopping center not 5 minutes from work.

Yeah, I remember it.

 

[Sotaeko]

I make my own fries instead of buying frozen ones. I've played around with the thickness when cutting the fries and I can say that shoestring thickness doesnt give the really good fry taste by the end of the cooking process.

 

[Frizz1974]

2 of our biggest supermarkets sell “odd” or “imperfect” shaped fruit & veg and a very popular fruit & veg chain does too.

My son has definitely got preferences - if I use the mandolin to do 4mm julienne I can get a few veg in that he will pick out if sliced. He’s gotten a lot better in recent times.

...and then there is pasta. The shapes are supposed to be chosen for specific sauces depending on the way they will hold the sauce. Do any of us really choose pasta shapes for that reason?

I always consider the shape & sauce combo and I loathe spaghetti bolognese. I always serve my bolognese sauce with shells/conchiglie. I use spaghetti for pesto pasta or just garlic, cheese & oil.

 

[karadekoolaid]

I always choose the pasta according to the salsa I´m going to use. I wouldn´t dream of making aglio e olio, for example, with conchiglie or penne - wouldn´t work. Nor would I make pasta e fagioli with macaroni, spaghetti, bucatini or vermicelli. It´d be like serving a Sloppy Joe over a bed of citrus-scented quinoa, or covering a Yorkshire pud with Salsa Verde.

 

[Yorky]

....or covering a Yorkshire pud with Salsa Verde.