A Little Acidity Goes A Long Way When Making Frozen Fries

There's certainly no shortage of ways to add flavor to frozen fries, whose golden, deliciously crisp exterior is made for covering in all manner of seasonings — be it a simple sprinkling of salt, a hit of truffle oil and grated parmesan, or even some brown sugar and cinnamon (yes, it's a thing). However one ingredient we bet you've probably never thought about adding to these tasty 'taters is lemon juice.

The idea of adding lemon juice to frozen fries isn't nearly as strange as it sounds. Not only is it a natural flavor enhancer, used on everything from oysters to avocado, but lemon pepper seasoning (typically made from dried lemon zest, black pepper, salt, and sometimes other ingredients) is a popular fry topping in its own right. That said, a little squeeze of fresh lemon juice is just the thing to give your frozen fries (or any kind of fries, really) a bona fide flavor boost, bringing a combination of salty and sour, almost umami notes to the table that are guaranteed to make your mouth water. Even the professionals agree, with chef RJ Harvey — culinary director of Potatoes USA — telling Business Insider: "Fries benefit from the addition of acid. Toppings like citrus juice... contrast the richness of the crispy fries."

There's not a lot of technique involved with this one — it's as simple as squeezing some fresh lemon juice over your frozen fries once they've exited the oven (check out the most effective ways to juice a lemon, here). For optimum results, you'll want to of course use the best lemon for the job — that is, one that's light yellow with smooth, thin skin. You'll also want to avoid being too heavy-handed with the juice itself, because the only thing worse than an under-seasoned fry is a soggy one. You can always add more, should you want/need to.

Finally, don't be afraid to pair your lemon-dressed fries with other seasonings for maximum flavor. These can be added before, after, or at both ends of the cooking process: We're talking salt, pepper, and even herbs (which historically pair very well with lemon). A scattering of chopped fresh herbs like flat leaf parsley or basil after cooking will taste particularly delish, especially when paired with a little crumbled feta or other soft and salty cheese. However we totally respect if you want to let the lemon flavor speak for itself, in which case a little tomato ketchup or mayonnaise on the side is all you really need — you do you!