9/10/2009:
The British call them "chips," served with deep-fried slabs of cod fish, and wrapped up in yesterday's newspaper. The French refer to them as "frites," served up with mayonnaise or mustard. And the Canadians prefer them doused in malt vinegar, with salt liberally applied. But here in America, we call them French fries.
Americans bought 4.5 billion pounds of French fries in the year 2000. And while some think French fries are French, the Belgians stake the claim for inventing the "French fry." However, it was a trip to Paris that inspired then- President Thomas Jefferson to bring the French fry back to America. Jefferson had the fries served at a White House dinner in 1802, with the menu referring to "potatoes served in the French manner."
However, it wasn't until 1918 when fries were officially dubbed "French fries." American soldiers, stationed in France during World War One, ate them, loved them, and wanted them back home. And so, the French fry became an American staple.
In September of 2008, Grand Forks residents and French fry fanatics flocked to University Park for the annual Potato Bowl USA French Fry Feed. With the attempt to shatter the 2006 record, French fry eaters nibbled, gulped and chomped on enough fries to feed 9,780 people. Volunteers from Simplot, Cargill and Smurfit-Stone, along with plenty of UND athletes, were on hand to serve, cook, and clean up the annual event.
The J.R. Simplot factory in Grand Forks, provided the frozen fries for the feed. The fries, were a mix of Russet potatoes - the same potatoes served at the Golden Arches. In fact, Simplot has been providing frozen fries to McDonald's restaurants for years.
Potato Bowl folks have contacted the Guinness World Records, hoping to put Potato Bowl USA and Grand Forks on the map as "The Largest French Fry Feed in the World." However, Guinness claims they're not adding more categories to their list or their famous World Records book. Since no one has challenged the Potato Bowl folks and their "French Fry Feed" record, they proclaim themselves to be "Top Spuds."
Whether they are gracing the dinner plates at the White House, or simply eaten with a little ketchup, the humble French fry remains a much eaten fun food in the North Dakota ... and in many other parts of the world. Now where did I put the salt?
Dakota Datebook written by Jill Whitcomb
Sources:
1) The Christian Science Monitor-"Where do French Fries Come From?" author Suman Bandrapalli- May 2, 2000
http://www.csmonitor.com/2000/0502/p1851.htm;
2) Potato Bowl USA website-http://potatobowl.org/indexone.htm
3) Discover Grand Forks.com website-"Grand Forks Shatters French Fry record" reprinted from the Grand Forks Herald- author Tu-Uyen Tran. 9/12/2008
http://www.discovergrandforks.articles/?page=view_articles&id=86447&property_id=40