If the potatoes are new (or recently harvested) they can be washed in cold water and scrubbed a bit. You can leave the skins on. However, if you do not like the skins on or the potatoes are not new, peel the potatoes removing the outer skin

Wash the potato by running under water a few seconds. Add the oil to a kettle or large pan...use what you have. Start heating the oil so it is hot by the time that the potatoes are ready. I have a gas stove and I use the right front burner as it is the hottest burner on the stove and I use medium-high for the heat range.

I use a chef knife and my cutting board to cut lengthwise slices about 1/4 inch thick. Then I lay each slice flat and make another lengthwise slice about 1/4 inch thick. This will give you a nice size french fry.

I like to take a clean kitchen towel and put the sliced potatoes on the towel. This keeps them from turning brown before cooking and it also dries them off so there is less oil splashing when the potatoes are added to the hot oil.

Once the potatoes are sliced, the oil is generally hot enough. Gently slide in one sliced potato. If it sizzles, the oil is ready. (I know...normally it is recommended to use a thermometer to make sure that the oil is 350 degrees. You can do that or check the oil with the potato...both methods work wonderfully). If the potato sizzles and the oil is ready, go ahead and add a couple of handfuls of sliced potatoes.

Keep cooking until the potatoes are golden brown. I like to move the potato slices around a few times in the pan during cooking. This ensures that the potatoes don't stick together. When the french fries are done, remove them with a slotted spoon. This will help the excess oil drain off of the french fries prior to eating.

Place the cooked, crispy french fries on paper towel on a plate. This will soak up any remaining oil left over from cooking. If you will be making a lot of batches of french fries, I put the plate of cooked french fries in the oven with the oven on warm. This keeps them just perfect while you are cooking the rest of the fries.