The little cups are great for dipping.
Acceptable condiments for french fries are, in the order of my preference:
Heinz Ketchup
Cream gravy
Shrimp cocktail sauce
BBQ sauce (but not every fry, some must still have ketchup)
And for you cheese fry people, what about CHILI and cheese fries? Not my favorite, but very popular here in Houston.
And mayo is just, wrong. Blech.
Chili-cheese fries are good, as long as they’re accompanied by a good antacid like Pepcid or Zantac.
My observation on this, however, is no sauce can make up for bad french fries. They have to be good and crispy and not limp and pale.
Robin
I like ketchup in those little cups, because I like to dip the fries. Makes things so much easier.
With that said, I’ll also join those who put BBQ sauce in them and dip fries in that. I like BBQ sauce on fries–not quite as sweet as ketchup, and with a smoky tangy flavour too. Vinegar and salt always belong on fries as well, and plenty of both. And I can see how shrimp cocktail sauce might also be good–thanks for the tip; I’ll have to try it sometime.
But never mayo or tartar sauce. That just doesn’t sound right to me.
schief2: Ha! The Belgians use tartar sauce too. Just not as much as mayonaise, but still. Hail the Belgians, for they are the Kings of Fries!
RickJay: I’d rather be a mayonaise guzzling Nazi devilworshipper than one of those… ugh… ketchup people. If I ever have children, they shall be forbidden to socialise with ketchup kids. Also, they shall learn to eat fries the proper way, with mayonaise. After dinner, the entire family will go out into the backyard for our Daily Ketchup Container Stomping Ritual[sup]TM[/sup]. The mayonaise tradition shall not die, dammit.
kabbes: Thanks, matey.
kabbes and Coldfire exchange the secret mayonaise handshake
Mort Furd: you pussy. Ancient fat is the key to delicious fries. The more black spots you get on them, the better. And what’s wrong with a healthy batch of deep-fried squid rings drowned in mayonaise? Huh??
Never mind the ketchup (or is that catsup) vs. mayo vs. BBQ sauce, etc. debate. What color do you want your ketchup? I wasn’t sure about green, but purple may be going to far. Now, where’s that blech smiley? 
Why? Why is everyone ignoring the true horror in this thread? Don’t act as if you didn’t see it. Don’t pretend that he said caramel and not the vile, noisome words that were actually typed.
No wonder the French Foreign Legion sings insulting songs about them.
OH MY GOD NO!!!
I’d like to take this opportunity to talk about the first time I ever went west (well, I’m in NY, so it was pretty west to me). I was in Chicago staying with my friends parents, and over breakfast her dad says to me: “Where are you guys eating lunch today? Ever been to Jack-In-The-Box? Oh- it’s the best! Make sure if you go you ask for extra Jack sauce.”
I have to say that I nearly choked to death on my english muffin. Jack sauce? JACK SAUCE??
::pictures some dirty cook with a greasy apron on and his paper hat askew jerking it for all it’s worth all over my burger::
Cripes, some things should be illegal.
Zette
PS- I love the ketchup tubs. I’m a dipper!
Ketchup packets are good only for carry out! I use the Jack Batty technique and will seek out restaurants that offer free-flowing ketchup.
Those who put mayo, gravy, or assorted other condiments on their fries are clearly in dire need of psychological help.
BTW, the dude that invented the little ketchup packets (or were they mayo?) lived in Cincinnati and became a multi-millionaire when his company (PortionPac was the name, IIRC)was bought out by a conglomerate.
I love BBQ on my fries … but you know what’s really good? Double dip McD’s fries in their BBQ and Hot Mustard sauces. Mmmmmmm.
Ranch dressing is the way to go for cheese fries, however.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Coldfire *
RickJay: I’d rather be a mayonaise guzzling Nazi devilworshipper than one of those… ugh… ketchup people. If I ever have children, they shall be forbidden to socialise with ketchup kids./QUOTE]
That’s not a problem, since Canada probably wouldn’t let someone immigrate here if they professed to eating mayonnaise on french fries. Gosh, why not just dump mayonnaise onto your Corn Flakes, or dissolve it in your beer?
I’m surprised you aren’t British. Mayonnaise is the perfect example of British cooking, but it suits all northern European cuisine, really; it’s boring. Bland, bland, bland. Mayonnaise is a nothing food, just a mild and irritating paste that adds a slight flavour to a club sandwich. Why put it in french fries? If you don’t like ketchup, just eat the fries with salt; mayonnaise is little different from soaking the fries in cold water.
If you could distill boredom itself into a condiment, it would come out as mayonnaise. Having mayonnaise on your fries is way of telling the world “I am a boring corporate drone without an ounce of life in me. I enjoy eating processed cheese and my greatest joy in life is watching sitcoms.” You may as well eat grass clippings.
Well, what about toffee popcorn? That has sugar on it?
Toffee popcorn with almonds is my favorite.
Mayonnaise and tartar sauce on anything is just NASTY.
Barbeque sauce is great with almost anything.
I prefer ketchup and vinegar, on my fries, thanks.
I wouldn’t eat that, either. Popcorn with butter and salt - the only way to go.
Oh, and Coldfire? As a European, you shouldn’t go around calling people “pussy” based on eating preferences. Europeans (as a rule) can’t tolerate even moderate amounts of Tobasco - my all time favorite condiment. You just have to try fried feta and french fries, both dripping red with Tobasco sauce. UMMMM UMMMM GOOD!
RickJ - I’m sorry, you’re saying that mayonnaise is bland but wish to extol the virtues of ketchup instead? Could you get any blander? Not to mention the fact that the whole North American continent is renowned for having the worst food of all. Zenster aside, that is.
And tobasco? Feh. You come on a Friday night out with us and sink a few pints over a nice vindaloo. Then we’ll talk pussy.
pan
[sub](note the above was all written in a light hearted and friendly fashion. No need to take offence, I don’t mean it.[/sub]
Mayonaise on sandwiches… UGH!
'Sides, RickJay, the true “Belgian Style” mayonaise is sour. Lemme tell you, there’s NOTHING bland about it.
I was gonna bash Canadian cuisine, but I couldn’t think of anything Canadian other than a roadkilled moose.
Oh, and your mother was a hamster.
Listen, one and all, to these words of wisdom!
Wisconsin: populated by immigrant Germans, Dutch, Belgians, and other hard-working, industrious, God-fearing people. Land of the bratwurst and Friday night fish fry. Visit your neighborhood tavern on Friday, order a plate of perch and fries, and sit back with a cold Leinenkugel’s.
And what will come? A plate with delicious deep-fried lake perch, a mound of crisp, hot fries, and a generous scoop of tartar sauce, to be used with both.
Yes, there may be a squeeze bottle of a red substance on the table, but that’s strictly for show, small children who frequent McDonalds, and foreigners who haven’t yet seen the light.
I must also mention that Whataburger’s little packets of ketchup are actually a little cup of ketchup with a tear off top. Those are great.