Why It Works

Parboiling potatoes in vinegar water builds a thicker crust that stays crisp at the table.

Oiling both the potatoes and pans prevents tough crusts while promoting even browning.

Finishing the hot potatoes with lemon, herbs, garlic, and olive oil releases vivid aromas.

Do you enjoy being lied to? I certainly don't. Yet nearly every time I eat roasted potatoes, I feel like I've been betrayed. They come to the table all nicely browned and craggy, but they inevitably have soft, papery skins that don't offer any real contrast with the creamy flesh below. It's like, Hey potatoes! What'd I ever do to you?…