BigSpud Home Page → Deep Fried/Chips List →
← Gravy on French Fries?
soggy french fries →
Deep Fried/Chips: What if they're not "FRENCH" Fries?
Subject: What if they're not "FRENCH" Fries?
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: tomkanpa at aol.comic (TOM KAN PA)
Date: 20 Feb 2003 13:16:34 GMT
--------
Perhaps the French didn't invent them? Hmmm, looks like the Belgians claimed to have invented them. Belgium? Aren't they part of the Axis of Weasels? So, there would still people that would call you un-patriotic for eating them! 'Do you want Belgian fries with that?" That's what you might be hearing at fast-food restaurants today if it hadn't been for World War I. The Belgians claim to have invented "French" fries, though no one knows for sure. The dish was first prepared as early as the 1700s and was simply called fried potatoes. Thomas Jefferson sampled them in Paris and brought the recipe home. At a White House dinner in 1802, the menu included "potatoes served in the French manner." But that's not how they got their name.

Their commercial success began in 1864, when Joseph Malines of London put "fish and chips" (French fries) on the menu. His success inspired others across Europe. But they weren't French fries until 1918 or so. American soldiers stationed in France gobbled up fried potatoes. They dubbed them "French fries" and liked them so much they wanted to have them at home, too. Americans still love French fries. Last year alone, more than 4.5 billion pounds of them were sold in the United States.
From: Jack Schidt (jack.schidt at snet.net)
Date: Thu, 20 Feb 2003 18:55:37 GMT
--------
A year from now, or even less, when the next trend takes over, we'll all be laughing at the anti-French movement here in the US. Then again, stupid people are always the butt of the joke, right?

Jack Anglais
From: John Gaughan (john at johngaughan.net)
Date: Thu, 20 Feb 2003 15:38:01 -0600
--------
Jack Schidt wrote:
>A year from now, or even less, when the next trend takes over, we'll all be
>laughing at the anti-French movement here in the US. Then again, stupid
>people are always the butt of the joke, right?

People have been talking smack about France for centuries. One more year will not change anything.

The only thing France can do is cook. Their cuisine is good. Other than that, they are just as arrogant and pompous as we Americans.
From: Howard Larson (hblarson at core.com)
Date: Thu, 20 Feb 2003 17:30:26 -0600
--------
John Gaughan had a gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad, or at least the rec.food.cooking part and wrote:

>The only thing France can do is cook. Their cuisine is good. Other than
>that, they are just as arrogant and pompous as we Americans.

Careful, John. Someone might say you are projecting your own feelings...
From: Alan Zelt (alzelt at worldnet.att.netFINNFAN)
Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2003 03:55:04 GMT
--------
Jack Schidt wrote:
> A year from now, or even less, when the next trend takes over, we'll all be
> laughing at the anti-French movement here in the US. Then again, stupid
> people are always the butt of the joke, right?

Anyone care for some pommes frites? I'm boycotting french fries.
From: blake murphy (blakem at ix.netcom.com)
Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2003 06:21:18 -0500
--------
Jack Schidt wrote:
> A year from now, or even less, when the next trend takes over, we'll all be
> laughing at the anti-French movement here in the US. Then again, stupid
> people are always the butt of the joke, right?

i suggest that we begin, right away, to promote the steak-fried chicken.
From: jlmartin at wi.rr.com (John L. Martin)
Date: 20 Feb 2003 13:14:28 -0800
--------
TOM KAN PA wrote:
> Perhaps the French didn't invent them? Hmmm, looks like the Belgians claimed to
> have invented them. Belgium? Aren't they part of the Axis of Weasels?

I prefer Axis of Appeasement myself.

But does it really matter? Belgium is just a stinkier version of France.
From: Alan Zelt (alzelt at worldnet.att.netFINNFAN)
Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2003 03:54:21 GMT
--------
TOM KAN PA wrote:
> Perhaps the French didn't invent them? Hmmm, looks like the Belgians claimed to
> have invented them. Belgium? Aren't they part of the Axis of Weasels?

Well, if someone can't stand French fries, let them eat pommes frites.
From: Rodney Myrvaagnes (rodneym at attglobal.net)
Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2003 08:52:15 -0500
--------
TOM KAN PA wrote:
>Perhaps the French didn't invent them? Hmmm, looks like the Belgians claimed to
>have invented them. Belgium? Aren't they part of the Axis of Weasels?

They are certainly important (almost a religion) to Belgians, but not to the French. There is a Belgian bistro in Garden City, LI that has the four basic food groups painted on an interior window, lest anyone forget:

"Moules" "Frites" "Biere" "Waffles"

I haven't had better fries anywhere.
From: ndooley at blue.weeg.uiowa.edu (Nancy Dooley)
Date: 21 Feb 2003 08:39:24 -0800
--------
TOM KAN PA wrote:
> Perhaps the French didn't invent them? Hmmm, looks like the Belgians claimed to
> have invented them. Belgium? Aren't they part of the Axis of Weasels?

I believe the current term, at least during late-night TV, is "freedom fries." LOL.
From: derekjuhl at netscape.net (Derek N.P.F. Juhl)
Date: 21 Feb 2003 15:32:44 -0800
--------
Nancy Dooley wrote:
> I believe the current term, at least during late-night TV, is "freedom
> fries." LOL.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/South/02/19/offbeat.freedom.fries.ap/index.html [archive.org]

Fried politics: Restaurant serves 'freedom fries'
Wednesday, February 19, 2003 Posted: 10:49 AM EST (1549 GMT)

BEAUFORT, North Carolina (AP) -- You can get fries with your burger at a restaurant here, but just don't ask for french fries.

Neal Rowland, the owner of Cubbie's, now only sells his fried potato strips as "freedom fries" -- a decision that comes as Americans watch French officials back away from support for possible war in Iraq.

"Because of Cubbie's support for our troops, we no longer serve french fries. We now serve freedom fries," says a sign in the restaurant's window.

Rowland said his intent is not to slight the French people, but to take a patriotic stance to show his support for the United States and the actions of President Bush.

"It's our way of showing our patriotic pride," he said, noting that his business has a lot of local military troops as customers.

Rowland said the switch from french fries to freedom fries came to mind after a conversation about World War I when anti-German sentiment prompted Americans to rename German foods like sauerkraut and hamburger to liberty cabbage and liberty steak.
From: Alan Zelt (alzelt at worldnet.att.netFINNFAN)
Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 03:58:08 GMT
--------
Derek N.P.F. Juhl wrote:
> Fried politics: Restaurant serves 'freedom fries'

I didn't realize it until now, but it would appear that I am very patriotic. I always boycott McDonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut, KFC and the ilk. I think if more of us boycotted such American establishments, we might come close to raising the level of quality of American food establishments.