National French Fry Day: Celebrate with 13 recipes for stuff to dip your fries in

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French fries at Short Order in the Farmers Market at 3rd and Fairfax in Los Angeles. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

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The starter, Cheeky Bastard Poutine, with grass-fed beef cheek, arrogant bastard ale, sattocenere, hand-cut fries and black truffle, for $13, at Kings Row Gastropub, on Colorado Boulevard, in Old Pasadena. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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A dish of mole fries, mole poblano gravy, melted cheese and grilled onions at Ricardo Diaz’s new restaurant Bizarra Capital. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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McDonald’s is known for its golden French fries. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)

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The bistro steak and pommes frites at Firefly in Studio City. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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The Love Boat comes with French fries, chili con carne and haus coleslaw at the Dog Haus Biergarten in Pasadena. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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The ultra thin pommes frites at Chat Noir. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

By Jenn Harris

July 13, 2013 10:28 AM PT

It’s National French Fry Day. Unlike other food holidays that have no business being holidays - think National Salad Month (May) or National Turkey Neck Soup Day (March 31) - French fries deserve an entire year’s celebration. Have you ever met anyone who really didn’t like a good French fry?

Test Kitchen Director Noelle Carter was quick to mention that one of the best things about a French fry is that you get to dip it. Whether you’re into thick fries with coarse salt, shoe string skinny fries, or sweet potato fries, all benefit from a dunk into something velvety.

PHOTOS: 10 great French fries

There are plenty of places around town to get your French fry fix, but you can get creative when you make your own dips at home. It’s easy, and when you eat a full basket of fries at home, no one’s watching. You can have as many condiments as you like, and most importantly, you don’t have to share.

A garlic aioli works well with a sweet potato fry; you can try dipping your fries in a spicy mustard; and there’s nothing like a salty fry dipped in ranch. We’re not knocking ketchup, but when you ditch the packets, the possibilities are endless.

Here are 13 recipes for French fry condiments you can make at home. And if you’re looking for something a little different than your average fry, try this recipe for smashed, fried potatoes.

New takes on the classics:

Basic mayonnaise

Chipotle mayonnaise

Tarragon mayonnaise

Sang Yoon’s fig-tamarind ketchup

Sang Yoon’s peach-pineapple ketchup

Mustards:

Roman mustard

Hard cider mustard

Herbed honey mustard

Dried cranberry mustard

Beer and caraway mustard