These are salty, crispy but yielding little things, that need to be served with icy beer or a dry sparkling wine. As a kid I probably washed these down with a cold orange Crush—that still seems like an ideal pairing now.
The thing is, you can't successfully transport french fries home. They're fine but not as good. Solution: fry them at home! Frying potatoes at home doesn't require much effort on your part, just your attention. And a technique.
The puff pastry is maybe a tiny bit fancy. But the real reason I like the fish and pickled peppers on it is because it's a little bit chewy, which let's you savour each bite a little longer.
I started making these spiced cashews on Sundays, in anticipation of a new episode of Mad Men. I hope you make these nuts for equally epic but lighter events.
Chicken wings are usually reserved--reduced?--to game-watching fare or casual potluck party sign-up lists. Maybe because sometimes they're purchased pre-seasone...
