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BULLETIN 1055, IT. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



facturers who use potatoes in large quantities are agreed that the old stock is 



preferable for chips to the immature potatoes of the spring or early summer. 

 Use potatoes high in starch. A waxy or soggy potato does not make good 



chips. Select a variety that is known to be mealy when baked or boiled. 



The raw flesh should be firm and crisp when sliced with a sharp knife. 

 Use large or medium-sized round, smooth potatoes with shallow eyes. The 



size and shape do not affect the cooking quality, but they do influence the 



quantity and appearance 

 of the chips. Round po- 

 tatoes are better than 

 long ones, as there is 

 less waste in peeling, 

 especially if a vegetable 

 peeler is used. Deep 

 eyes are objectionable, 

 because of the difficulty 

 of paring and the waste 

 involved and because 

 they make ragged-look- 

 ing slices. 



Care should be 

 taken not to cook too 

 many chips at once. 

 The fat should be 

 deep enough to cover 

 the slices completely, 

 and allow them to lie 

 flat and be crusted 

 over quickly. If the 

 kettle is too full, the 

 water on the raw 

 slices will bubble 

 high and splash over 

 the sides of the pan 

 or vat. They cook 

 quickly, the time re- 

 quired varying with 

 the size of the kettle 

 and the quantity of 

 oil and potatoes used. 

 Three to five minutes 

 is a good average. If 

 they take longer something is wrong ; either the oil is not hot enough 

 or the quantity of potatoes cooked is too great in proportion. 



CAUSES OF FAILURE IN MAKING CHIPS. 



The troubles of commercial manufacturers are generally due to one 

 or more of the three following causes: (1) The use of a potato 



Fig. 9. — Small hand-power vegetable peeler. The potatoes 

 are thrown by centrifugal motion against the carborun- 

 dum lining, which nicks off the skin in small bits. Fresh 

 water drips through the perforated pan at the top, carry- 

 ing away the skins through the rubber waste pipe at the 

 base. 



