Why are French Fries called French Fries?

[Matrix]

Anyone know the answer to this? Does France make potatoes like this in restaraunts? Did Napoleon prefer his potatoes in this manner?

Maybe Roy Croc founder of Mc Donalds was married to a french woman and his wife named them.

Any guesses?

[O Rly]

The straightforward explanation of the term "French fried potatoes" is that it means "potatoes fried in the French manner": the verb fry can mean either sautéing or deep-fat frying, while French 'frire' unambiguously means deep frying. Thomas Jefferson, famous for serving French dishes, referred to fried potatoes in this way.

The Belgians are noted for claiming that French fries are Belgian in origin, but have presented no definitive evidence; the French have also been cited as possible creators of the dish, though in France they are often thought of as Belgian; the Belgians are the heaviest consumers of French fries.[citation needed] The Spanish claim[citation needed] that the dish was invented in Spain, the first European country in which the potato appeared via the New World colonies, and then spread to Belgium which was then under Spanish rule. Whether they were invented in Belgium or Spain, they have become Belgium's national dish, making Belgians their "symbolic" creators in Europe.

Or, you could just read for yourself: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_fries

[aFrenchie]

Anyone know the answer to this?
French fries were invented by Belgians actually. I don't know why Anglo-Saxons call them that way! Maybe we eat them even more than in Belgium :confused:

EDIT:You've been faster that me O Rly :)

[O Rly]

:P, just a minute faster...
P.S. That page made me hungry!

[Mozaik]

Next question: if you don't call French Fries so in your conutry, then how do you call them? Because we in Hungary say simple "baked potato". ;)

[Luc]

French fries were invented by Belgians actually. I don't know why Anglo-Saxons call them that way! Maybe we eat them even more than in Belgium :confused:
I'm not sure if Belgians really eat that much French Fries :confused: In The Netherlands there exist some jokes about that subject but I believe in my country the consumpion of French Fries is at least equal to the consumption in Belgium.

[maareek]

Next question: if you don't call French Fries so in your conutry, then how do you call them? Because we in Hungary say simple "baked potato". ;)

o_O in America a "baked potato" would be a whole potato (generally a russet or a similar starchier potato) wrapped in foil and baked in an oven. Sometimes they would still be referred to as a baked potato if they were cooked in foil on a grill, though I don't think it should be called the same thing when done that way(though I can't really say what I'd prefer them to be called, other than "grilled in foil").

French fries, again in America as that's the only place I have absolute knowledge of, are potatoes (again, generally russets or another high starch potato if done in a chain, most high end restaurants or "foodie" home cooks will prefer to use red potatoes or another kind of tastier potato) cut into strips (size is generally up to the cutter in a restaurant/at home but in chains shoestring fries are most common, which are long, slender vertical cuts of potato) and deep fried in oil.

So I guess my point would be in America a baked potato and a french fry are completely different entities, so it seems weird you would refer to them in the same way in Hungary. Or do you only use one word for any kind of cooked potato?

But on to the topic. Regardless of who invented them, the name was probably used to get people to eat them. Deep fried potatoes probably wasn't that appealing so labeling them "French Fries" not only accomplishes the goal of giving them a nice, catchy name but also makes it seem like a French dish, which Americans are always more willing to try because French food has the air of being affluent over here.

[Amelie]

Next question: if you don't call French Fries so in your conutry, then how do you call them? Because we in Hungary say simple "baked potato". ;)

yes, translated from lithuanian to english it called "baked potatos" too.

[maareek]

yes, translated from lithuanian to english it called "baked potatos" too.

Well, forgetting translations then, would you refer to a baked potato and a french fry using the same word in your language? I don't guess it really matters, I'm just curious.

[Amelie]

french fries would sound veeeery silly :D it would sound just like "potatos of french people" :D

[RMJ]

We call them "ranskalaiset perunat" which translates to "French potatoes".

Nickname for them is "ranskikset" which pretty much means "Frenchies". :p

[Mozaik]

So I guess my point would be in America a baked potato and a french fry are completely different entities, so it seems weird you would refer to them in the same way in Hungary. Or do you only use one word for any kind of cooked potato?

Well, when we say "baked potato", ("sült krumpli", if you're interested) we usually mean French Fries. If we want to differentiate, we call French fries "baked strippotato" (means "chipped potatos" too), and then "baked potato" will be every other baked potato. ;)

[maareek]

Ahh, I see. Thanks. :)

[nurvonic]

LOL is this really a discussion about potatoes? im hungry now...

[aFrenchie]

Next question: if you don't call French Fries so in your conutry, then how do you call them?
We call them "frites", so "fries" only. We never called them French here! :)

We call them "ranskalaiset perunat" which translates to "French potatoes".

Nickname for them is "ranskikset" which pretty much means "Frenchies". :p
I didn't know that other countries also called them French fries! It's new to me.
How do you say France and French in Finnish?? (ransk- something?)

[Mozaik]

LOL is this really a discussion about potatoes? im hungry now...

Here you go: http://kerulo.uw.hu/ALIZEE/for_Nurvonic.jpg

[Señor Villa]

In Mexico they call French fries papas fritas (fried potatoes)

[nurvonic]

Here you go: http://kerulo.uw.hu/ALIZEE/for_Nurvonic.jpg


um...thanks....

[RMJ]

We actually have another name for them and it's "tikkuperunat" which means "stick potatoes". It's much newer name tho, so people still call them with the original name ("ranskalaiset perunat"). "tikkuperunat" is more used in restaurants nowadays, dunno why.


How do you say France and French in Finnish?? (ransk- something?)
France = Ranska
French (the language) = ranska
French (adj. & noun) = ranskalainen / ranskalaiset (singular / plural )

The F is dropped from the start since Finnish grammar and pronouncing rules doesn't allow Finnish words to start with two consonants (word cannot finish with 2 consonants either). So... France -> Franska -> Ranska

[spysmasher]

french fries would sound veeeery silly :D it would sound just like "potatos of french people" :D

Haha! Next time I go to McDonald's, I think I'll ask for a side order of "potatoes for French people."


So what about French toast? What do they call that in other countries?

[bt_bird_90]

Haha! Next time I go to McDonald's, I think I'll ask for a side order of "potatoes for French people."


So what about French toast? What do they call that in other countries?

um... "French toast"?

[spysmasher]

Actually, Wikipedia gives a pretty thorough rundown of other names for French toast ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_toast

[Twitch]

Back to French fries I thought they were called that because the French invented deep fat frying, how fries are cooked, so they were named after that. But it is nice to actually know that they were invented in Belgium. And in Canada we usually just call them French fries or fries and frites or patates frites. Sometimes you do hear pommes frites as well. (potatoes can be called pommes de terre in French so were not asking for fried apples :))

Edit: a list of what people call French fries http://www.belgianfries.com/index.cfm?Module=histor3

[aditya8617]

I think sometime in 2002 or something, I don't exactly remember but they were called Freedom fries. But I actually like the name French fries for them.

[Señor Villa]

This is the reason:

http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/South/02/19/offbeat.freedom.fries.ap/

[spysmasher]

I think sometime in 2002 or something, I don't exactly remember but they were called Freedom fries. But I actually like the name French fries for them.

Haha! Yeah, I remember "Freedom Fries!" Had a lot of fun making jokes about that at the time.

[Spartan500]

I'm not sure if anyone posted it already but it falls along this subject sort of if ham is canadian bacon in canada what do they call bacon and do they call bacon american ham lol

[RadioactiveMan]

We don't call anything Canadian bacon. We call it ham and we call bacon bacon.

Back bacon is known as "Canadian bacon" in the United States, but not in Canada, where it is simply called back bacon, or peameal bacon. In Canada, "Canadian bacon" is traditionally unsmoked back bacon that has been sweet pickle-cured and coated in yellow cornmeal. This variation is also known as peameal bacon because in times past, a mixture of ground yellow peas was used for coating to improve curing and shelf-life. The "Canadian" bacon sold in the United States is plain lean back bacon.

[Mozaik]

So what about French toast? What do they call that in other countries?

I didn't know what's French toast, until I've read the translation in Wikipedia. Bundáskenyér, that's cool! :D ("bread in coat", by the Wikipedia) But who needs eggs? I'v always eat "French toast" without eggs.

[aFrenchie]

France = Ranska
French (the language) = ranska
French (adj. & noun) = ranskalainen / ranskalaiset (singular / plural )
Thanks. In return: Finland is Finlande in French and Finnish is finlandais (never a capital letter for an adjective or for a noun made out of an adjective: a Finnish person or Finnish (the language) = finlandais)

The F is dropped from the start since Finnish grammar and pronouncing rules doesn't allow Finnish words to start with two consonants (word cannot finish with 2 consonants either).
That's a very strange rule!

[aditya8617]

OMG, Finnish sounds even more difficult than French. I can say Finland in French but I have no idea how to say France in Finnish. Is it pronounced simply as 'Ranska' or does it sound like France when said?

[guldebrett]

According to the "Food Network" the correct term is actually "Frenched Fries" which over time was whittled down to "French Fries." The term "Frenched" is referring to the type or style of cut used to chop the potato fries.

[Senshi87]

in sweden french fries are "pommes frites" and if refering to a baked potatoe its a huge king size potatoe usually baked in oven covered in aluminum foile called "bakad potatis" :D