Fire Fries to the rescue
New food truck catching on in West Prince
A new fry truck is turning heads and catching on in West Prince. Kelly and Doug Wilson of Pleasant View launched Up West Fire Fries in June. The matching truck and trailer, bearing the motto, “Your 911 for Party Emergencies,” is generally set up and open for business Thursday to Sunday in the couple’s yard, but it is also available for catering and special events. On Wednesday the truck and trailer were set up near the Skinners Pond beach access, capitalizing on beach traffic and the hungry fishermen who were nearby loading their lobster boats for setting day. “We’re actually overwhelmed with the support Up West people are giving us,” said Doug Wilson, speaking for his wife, Kelly, the operator of the new business. Kelly is quite capable of telling the Up West Fire Fries story herself, but, on this date, the demand is so steady that she is practically tethered to the fryer. The Wilsons are relative newcomers to West Prince, having moved to Pleasant View from Ontario two years ago. They’re not really that new, though. Kelly’s parents both grew up in Tignish, and Doug and Kelly have been regular summer visitors since coming here on their honeymoon in 1989. They even owned a place in Kildare for a while. “We’re really happy. We’ve always felt so at home when we’ve come down here,” said Doug, describing their delight with their retirement choice. He was a maintenance worker for a school board for 30 years, and she is a cook by profession, having worked for a daycare company and in a cafeteria. The food truck is Kelly’s idea but it incorporates something dear to Doug’s heart. He was a volunteer firefighter in Ontario for 15 years and, since May of this year, is a volunteer with the Miminegash Fire Department. Their food truck is a former hazmat truck with the Cornwall Ontario Fire Department. Both it and the trailer resemble fire rescue vehicles, but with the Up West Fire Fries lettering and related logo. The truck even still bears a public safety reminder to have smoke alarms checked. The business name, Doug, explains, shows it is, primarily, a fry truck. They will, however prepare whatever fare the customer orders for catering jobs. Special events so far have included the Irish Moss Festival, P.E.I. Potato Blossom Festival and Miminegash Days. The potatoes are peeled and cut fresh daily. Kelly blanches the fries as she prepares the orders. “It’s quite the operation,” Doug confirms. Backdraft fries, which incorporate some extra heat, is one of the food truck’s specialties. They also offer a dessert menu which includes deep-fried apples and s’more fries – yes, potato fries topped with chocolate sauce, graham cracker pieces and marshmallows. There’s also milkshakes, including a blueberry one, to have with those fries.