Hamburger patty on mushrooms, onions, and napa cabbage, French fries

A pound of ground sirloin was beginning to turn from bright grocery store red to lightly tinged brown, which is how I like it, and the remainder of a package of mild Italian sausage with no specific purpose was sitting there next to it, so I combined them. This is ground sirloin + Italian breakfast sausage. 

For some reason I thought this combination of vegetables would be delicious. It is not. Napa cabbage, mild Hatch green chiles, small portobello mushrooms, sweet onion. I could have done without the cabbage. 

So I fixed it by slapping on a slice of American cheese!  I'm still not sure the cheese is real cheese, but I like it. 

The hamburger/sausage patty is formed in the shape of the failed azuki bean loaf. Failed because I neglected the proof, but no less delicious for its misshapen appearance. The crumb is perfect for this sort of heavy lifting. Anything lighter would have turned to mush. 

I do not know what is going on with these fries. When I was 13 years old living in Louisiana I'd make french fries that blew people away. I'd cook them partially, then freeze them, then cook them again. Their exterior was completely crisped. 

I read online a new trick. Presoak the cut potatoes in sugar water for at least 20 minutes. Commenters rave about results. In my case, presoak in sugar water + double fry method did not result in crispy fries. I am so disappointed. The difference between this and the fries of my 13 year-old self is the freezing stage. Could it be that freezing is the key to crispy fries? Are potatoes more wet now than they were in the days of yore? Did I use a different type of potato? Is the oil different? These recurring questions vex my crispy French fry potato confidence.