Frech Fries

[EmuZombie Veteran]

so just WHY are they called french fries anyway?

[supernova_00]

http://www.stim.com/Stim-x/9.2/fries/fries-09.2.html

It was in Germany, too, that the potato met it's greatest ally. Antoine August Parmentier was a French chemist who served as a soldier in the Seven Years War, and was fed only potatoes while in captivity there. When he returned to France, he made it his mission to popularize the tuber, which he felt had been unjustly rejected by his countrymen. A skillful public relations man, Parmentier published a thesis, "Inquiry into nourishing vegetables that at times of necessity could be substituted for ordinary food" in 1773, and soon afterwards brought a bouquet of potato flowers to the birthday party of King Louis XVI. Graciously accepting the gift, the King promptly placed the flower in his lapel, and his wife, Queen Marie Antoinette, wore them in her hair, and potato flowers quickly became a fashion among the aristocracy. Still, Legrand d'Aussy wrote of the potato, in his 1783 Histoire de la Vie Privee des Francais (History of the Private Life of the French) "The pasty taste, the natural insipidity, the unhealthy quality of this food, which is flatulent and indigestible, has caused it to be rejected from refined households."

Parmentier, however, was on a roll. He began throwing parties for the French upper-class, at which he served as many as twenty dishes at a time, all containing potatoes. Then, in a display of marketing genius, Parmentier obtained permission to plant an acre of potatoes in the French countryside. He had the plot fastidiously guarded by day, but at night left the land unsupervised. Acting exactly according to his predictions, the peasants assumed that anything watched so closely must be valuable, and they stole the plants by night. Soon, potatoes were being planted all over France. It became a staple food as well as a status symbol, and by 1813, almost one hundred and fifty years since it's introduction, the potato finally gained acceptance in Scotland, Holland, Austria, Switzerland, Germany and Italy. Thanks to the French, potatoes were finally deemed chic enough to eat.

I guess thats why? Also that link has a long story about potatoes and how they became French Fries (Very Interesting)

[anthonycara]

mmm......potato cooked in oil.......:p

[toastedcrumpets]

lol, only in france would a guy fight for potatoes to have equal rights/standing with other vegtables

[mimeryme]

lol, only in france would a guy fight for potatoes to have equal rights/standing with other vegtables

Well, bless him. I love french fries.

[Hum]

:p mmm ... I'd kill for french fries ... well, knock someone out anywayz.

[Oblivion]

I'll prefer French Fries over a French Kiss anywhere anytime ;)

[Glowstick]

The belgians invented the fries, not those baguette slappers.

[Sjokkel]

French fries probably originated first in the french speaking part of Belgium during some strong winters. Fried fish was common food back then but as rivers were frozen over, they started using patatoes as an alternative for the fish. Saw that on some documentary on TV a while ago.

[oik]

I'll prefer French Fries over a French Kiss anywhere anytime ;)

hmm... depends on where the french fries came from vs. the person who would be giving me the french kiss ;)

[Apollo]

I'll prefer French Fries over a French Kiss anywhere anytime ;)

hmm... i love them both :D

[Iain]

Not too keen on either to be honest!

[WinterHaze]

I thought they changed them to Freedom Fries now.

Although I don't think it's sticking.

[XLS]

You need an extra N in topic ;)