What would you serve in your AMERICAN Restaurant

I see. So home fries are basically Bratkartoffeln, expressed in a word that's simple enough for Americans to pronounce.

Great response, Cyclo, that cracked me up . . . i think Germans operate on the principle of "why write a phrase, when you can write a sentence two paragraphs long?"

Actually, Setanta, we prefer to write words two paragraphs long. For details, see Mark Twain, The awful German Language.

I see. So home fries are basically Bratkartoffeln, expressed in a word that's simple enough for Americans to pronounce.

as some people think that home fries should be wedges or chunks of potato,

rosti/roesti are more of a shredded potato dish, while home fries (as I know them) are more like the bratkartoffeln that Thomas knows. There are some weirdnesses with that definition as well, as some people think that home fries should be wedges or chunks of potato, while bratkartoffeln (in my world) are sliced potatoes.

nowwwwwwwwwwwww, the next question - should the potatoes be raw or cooked when they're made into home fries/rosti/bratkartoffeln?

rosti - raw fer sure
bratkartoffeln - your choice
home fries - I'd start with parboiled potatoes




(and then we get to the topic one of my favourite ever Abuzz threads - smooth or lumpy mashed potatoes?)


and those rosti - shredded isn't grated, because then you'd be making latkes/potato pancakes

As far as i can see, there is no difference between rosti and what Americans call hash browns.

(and then we get to the topic one of my favourite ever Abuzz threads - smooth or lumpy mashed potatoes?)

Setanta wrote:

As far as i can see, there is no difference between rosti and what Americans call hash browns.

I can confirm that.

ehBeth wrote:

(and then we get to the topic one of my favourite ever Abuzz threads - smooth or lumpy mashed potatoes?)

That must have been a very short thread: Smooth of course! And with obscene amounts of butter. If this diabetic should ever entertain a death wish, he shall overdose on smooth, overbuttered, mashed potatoes. T'is the perfect way to go.