How did French fries get its name?

In winter, when the river froze, the fish-deprived villagers fried potatoes instead. It’s said that this dish was discovered by American soldiers in Belgium during World War I and, since the dominant language of southern Belgium is French, they dubbed the tasty potatoes “French” fries.

Who came up with the name French fries?

Despite its name and popularity, the French fries are not French. The origins can be found in Belgium, where historians claim potatoes were being fried in the late-1600s. According to Belgian lore, poor villagers living in Meuse Valley would often ate small fried fish they caught in the river.

Did the Irish invent French fries?

Among the various theories, it’s generally accepted that the French fry was invented by either the Belgians or the French. Potatoes were first introduced to Europe not through the French or Belgians, but through the Spanish.

What are French fries called in Ireland?

French fries (US) are called “chips” in the UK, and “frites” in French-speaking countries. In the UK and Ireland, what people in America call French fries are called “chips” and are famously served alongside fried fish.

Where did potato chips originate?

A Quick History of the Potato Chip The potato chip was invented in 1853 by George Crum. Crum was a Native American/African American chef at the Moon Lake Lodge resort in Saratoga Springs, New York, USA. French fries were popular at the restaurant, and one day a diner complained that the fries were too thick.

What do the French call French fries?

pommes de terre frites
In France and other French-speaking countries, fried potatoes are formally pommes de terre frites, but more commonly pommes frites, patates frites, or simply frites.

What do British call French fries?

chips
In the UK we have a worryingly high number of words for different types of potato foods. We call French fries just fries, and thicker-cut fries that come from a chip shop are called chips.

What is a single French fry called?

Since the term “french fries” refers to a particular food dish that contains many pieces of fried potatoes the singular would refer to one piece of potatoe that was fried. Hence one would have to say “a french fried potatoe” as the singular.

Why are fries called french fries in Ireland?

So after the Great Famine (1845-1851), the Irish left Ireland for the US, Canada, and other anglo-saxon countries, bringing with them the term and concept of “french fries.”

Why are fried potatoes called frenched potatoes?

The second explanation comes from Ireland. In old Irish, to french something, means to cut into small pieces. When the great Irish migration to the US occurred starting in 1845 due to the Irish Potato Famine, they brought with them to the United States the dish of frenched potatoes, which were fried.

Did the Belgians invent the French fry?

While the Belgians may or may not have invented the French fry, today, they do consume the most French fries per capita of any country in Europe. In most of the English speaking world, thin cut and thick cut fries are called two different things, fries and chips, respectively.

Why are they called french fries aiguillettes?

The words aiguillettes (“needle-ettes”) or allumettes (“matchsticks”) are used when the French fries are very small and thin. One enduring origin story holds that French fries were invented by street vendors on the Pont Neuf bridge in Paris in 1789, just before the outbreak of the French Revolution.