Waffle Long Wait: Alexia Sweet Potato Waffle Cut Fries with Erin (Ep 63)

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Eighteen months. Sixty-two episodes. Zero french fries. That changes now.

The Froze Bros welcome Erin — improv friend, Boston Marathon fan, and the guest who finally drags the Bros into the frozen fry case. This week's review: Alexia Sweet Potato Waffle Cut Fries, seasoned with garlic, onion, and pepper.

Darren digs into the history: a brand born in Long Island City in 2002, acquired by Conagra in 2007, with production eventually handed off to potato giant Lamb Weston. Sweet potatoes, meanwhile, have been cultivated since at least 2500 BCE in Peru, and somehow made it to Polynesia centuries before Europeans, which is either one of the world's great unsolved mysteries or proof that ancient mariners had excellent taste in side dishes.

In the news: the Palm Beach Cardinals suit up as the Frozen Iguanas, paying tribute to a species that goes into paralysis when the temperature drops below 50°F. That's Florida, man.

Plus: Patriots’ Day and who celebrates it. What Fenway means to Max. How Darren gets outed as a Yankees fan. Zoologists and other cold-blooded creatures. And a spirited debate over whether Alexia's potato plant really powers itself on potato gas—or whether that's just biogus.

In the closing segment: the Froston Marathon. Max and Erin have to name 26.2 frozen food brands to cross the finish line. They start strong, but will they beat Heartbreak Hill and cross the finish line to yell "Winner winner frozen dinner!"

FROST BITES

Cold-Blooded Podcast: When Max asked a question about animal physiology, Darren couldn’t wait to jump on him and sound like the smart one. It does turn out that he was pretty close. Being cold-blooded (or ectothermic) means that an animal’s body temperature fluctuates with their environment. Reptiles, amphibians, and fish are cold-blooded. Birds and mammals are warm-blooded (or endothermic) and can regulate their own body temperature. Results are inconclusive on the blood in Darren’s veins.

You Say Zoologist, I Say Zoologist: When the Bros tried to say zoologist out loud, Max said zoo-OL-uh-jist and Darren said zo-OL-uh-jist, and then they argued about it. Turns out they were both right—sort of. The traditional pronunciation starts with "zo" (rhyming with "toe"). The confusion is understandable: zoo is just short for zoological garden, so the animal park sound tends to creep in. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, both pronunciations are acceptable, but the "zo" version is considered more scientific.

Spud Power: The back of the Alexia bag makes a bold claim: their production facility converts potatoes into biogas, which powers the plant and reduces natural gas consumption. The Bros were skeptical. Biogas is actually a real technology. Organic waste like food scraps can be broken down by bacteria in a process called anaerobic digestion, which produces methane that can be burned for energy. The Alexia facility is even LEED Platinum certified—the highest green building standard—making it the first frozen food production facility to earn that designation. So it's not bogus after all.

YOUR COLD CUTS

This episode marks the Froze Bros' first french fry review. What’s your favorite? And what frozen fry should we try next? And what are you dipping them in?

Could you name 26 frozen food brands? Sure, but can you name 26.2? Hit us up on the Let's Chill page and let us know!

ENJOYING THE POD?

BUY US A COLD ONE

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Fro yo' later!

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