2006-06-13 06:25:19 · 8 answers · asked by earthygirl 5 in Food & Drink ➔ Other - Food & Drink
In the 1840s, pomme frites ("fried potatoes") first appeared in Paris. Sadly, we don't know the name of the ingenious chef who first sliced the potato into long slender pieces and fried them. But they were immediately popular, and were sold on the streets of Paris by push-cart vendors.
Frites spread to America where they were called French fried potatoes. You asked how they got their name--pretty obvious, I'd say: they came from France, and they were fried potatoes, so they were called "French fried potatoes." The name was shortened to "french fries" in the 1930s.
By the way, the verb "to french" in cooking has come to mean to cut in long, slender strips, and some people insist that "french fries" come from that term. However, the French fried potato was known since the middle 1800s, while the OED cites the first use of the verb "to french" around 1895, so it appears pretty convincing that "french fried potatoes" came before the verb "frenching." The origin of the name is thus the country of origin French and not the cooking term french.
2006-06-13 06:35:40 · answer #1 · answered by Hafiz 7 · 8⤊ 2⤋
Origin in Belgium,where they are eaten with Mayo. The french didn't want anything to do with them(called the potato the devils fruit,cause it grew underground) till Lewis the 16th admited he ate potatoes(seems the French would rather starve than eat a potato)However in war the potato which could not be burned when a scortched earth defence became popular caught on. .
2006-06-13 13:36:20 · answer #2 · answered by paulofhouston 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A restaurant owner in the 1800's was slicing potatoes to make a potato sandwich I believe, then she accidentally dropped one in a pot of oil. when she fished it out and tasted it, it tasted pretty good so she started adding potatoes to the fryer and served them to her guests and they loved em, I don't quite remember where she came up with the name, I beieve she called them ptatto chips and someone else named them french fries.
2006-06-13 13:30:46 · answer #3 · answered by Fairbrian T 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Belgium. so they arent really french. i think ignorant americans came up with it
2006-06-13 13:28:25 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Try this site. It has lots of interesting facts about potatoes:
http://www.methinks.ca/orgin_potato.htm...
2006-06-13 13:29:14 · answer #5 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's a long story. Check out the link! :)
2006-06-13 13:36:48 · answer #6 · answered by misty_2243 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
FRENCH FRIES= FRANCE,
FRENCH=FRANCE
FRENCH=FRENCH DUDE.OTHERWISE IT WOULD BE AMERICAN FRIES, OR MEXICAN FRIES, OR JAPANESE FRIES!!LOL
2006-06-13 13:28:21 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_fries . I think it will answer your question.
2006-06-13 13:31:09 · answer #8 · answered by apple_blossom 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋