Originally posted by der schwarze Ritter"French" fries were initially a Belgian dish and they are still very annoyed that they got called "French" in the first place. Apparently, the US soldiers got fed them by Belgian chefs during one of the world wars and really liked them. But because they were in France at the time the US troops called them "French Fries" when they returned to the US
French fries are a favorite food.
Originally posted by belgianfreakHey Belg,
"French" fries were initially a Belgian dish and they are still very annoyed that they got called "French" in the first place. Apparently, the US soldiers got fed them by Belgian chefs during one of the world wars and really liked them. But because they were in France at the time the US troops called them "French Fries" when they returned to the US
I'll lay you ten to one odds that the "belgian fry" was invented in south america by people who had nothing but potatos and animal fat and animal meat to eat for going on 10 thousand years. Any bets?
Haillll! the old spud never even made it to europe until the europeans slaughtered the native americans and stole their potatos! Not to mention a bit of gold! And all their women! grin
true about the "spud" (English slang for potato if you haven't come accross it before) didn't make it to Europe until Sir Walter Raleigh (sp?) presented it to Queen Victoria. But I dont' know the South Americans had deep fat frying - I can't find any info on this though.
Anyway, French Fries (done properly) aren't just sliced spuds dropped in hot oil - there's a technique to it that the Belgians are very proud of. For example, you have to fry the fries twice to get the propper crispy coating (not once which is why fast food fries are often soggy). And the oil temperature has to be just right to avoid too much fat entering the food. And you can't fry for too long for the same reason....
Originally posted by belgianfreakVicky? I think you'll find it was Liz he gave it to some 300 years before...
true about the "spud" (English slang for potato if you haven't come accross it before) didn't make it to Europe until Sir Walter Raleigh (sp?) presented it to Queen Victoria. But I dont' know the South Americans had deep fat frying - I can't find any info on this though.
Anyway, French Fries (done properly) aren't just sliced spuds dropped in hot oil ...[text shortened]... too much fat entering the food. And you can't fry for too long for the same reason....
(just being pedantic 😀)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_fry#History
"History
French-fried potatoes were probably invented in Belgium during the 18th century, and the name "French" was applied to them in English in the 19th century. However, there are various more-or-less plausible alternative theories.
[edit] Culinary origin of the term
The straightforward explanation of the term is that it means 'potatoes fried in the French sense of the verb': 'to fry' can mean either sautéing or deep-fat frying, while its French origin 'frire' unambiguously means deep-frying : frites being its past participle used with a plural feminine substantive as in pommes de terre frites, 'deep-fried potatoes'.[1][2] Thomas Jefferson, famous for serving French dishes, wrote exactly the latter French expression.[1][3] In the early 20th Century the term 'French fried' was being used for foods such as onion rings or chicken, apart from potatoes.[4][5]
It is sometimes suggested that the verb 'to french' originally meant to julienne-cut.[6] But this term refers specifically to trimming the meat off the shanks of chops[7] and is not attested until after 'French fried potatoes' had appeared.
[edit] Belgium
The Belgians are noted for claiming that "French" fries are in fact Belgian, but definitive evidence for the origin has not been presented.
The Belgian historian Jo Gerard recounts that potatoes were already fried in 1680 in the Spanish Netherlands, in the area of "the Meuse valley between Dinant and Liège, Belgium. The poor inhabitants of this region allegedly had the custom of accompanying their meals with small fried fish, but when the river was frozen and they were unable to fish, they cut potatoes lengthwise and fried them in oil to accompany their meals."[8][9][10]
Dutch people concur with a Southern Lowlandish or Belgian origin when referring to Vlaamse frites ('Flemish fries'😉. In 1857, the newspaper Courrier de Verviers devotes an article to Fritz (assumed pun with 'frites'😉, a Belgian entrepreneur selling French fries at fairs, calling him "le roi des pommes de terre frites". In 1862 a stall selling French fried potatoes (frietkot, see below) called "Max en Fritz" was established near Het Steen in Antwerp.[11][9]
A Belgian legend claims that the term 'French' was introduced when British or American soldiers arrived in Belgium during World War I, and consequently tasted Belgian fries. The supposedly called them 'French' as it was the official language of the Belgian army at that time.[9] But the term 'French fried potatoes' had been in use long before the War.
Whether they invented them, 'frites' quickly became the national snack and a substantial part of both national dishes — making the Belgians their largest consumers[citation needed], and to Europe, at least their "symbolic" creators.
[edit] France
Many Americans attribute the dish to France — though in France they are often thought of as Belgian — and offer as evidence a notation by U.S. President Thomas Jefferson. "Pommes de terre frites à cru, en petites tranches" ("Potatoes deep-fried while raw, in small slices"😉 are noted in a manuscript in Thomas Jefferson's hand (circa 1801-1809) and the recipe almost certainly comes from his French chef, Honoré Julien.[1] In those years and until Waterloo in 1815 however, France also encompassed what in 1830 would become Belgium.[12] In addition, from 1813[13] on, recipes for what can be described as French fries, occur in popular American cookbooks. By the late 1850s one of these mentions the term "French fried potatoes".[14]
Recipes for fried potatoes (not clearly specified how) in French cookbooks date back at least to Menon's Les soupers de la cour (1755). It is true that eating potatoes was promoted in France by Parmentier, but he did not mention fried potatoes in particular. And the name of the dish in languages other than English does not refer to France; in French, they are simply called 'pommes de terres frites' or, more commonly, simply 'pommes frites' or 'frites'.
During the controversy over 'Freedom fries', French people often commented that the food was actually Belgian, or at least, a Belgian speciality.
[edit] Spain
Some claim that the dish was invented in Spain, the first European country in which the potato appeared via the New World colonies, and assumes the first appearance to have been as an accompaniment to fish dishes in Galicia,[citation needed] from which it spread to the rest of the country and further to the Spanish Netherlands, more than a century before Belgium was created there.
Prof. Paul Ilegems, curator of the Friet-museum in Antwerp, believes that Saint Teresa of Ávila fried the first chips, referring also to the tradition of frying in Mediterranean cuisine.[15][11]
[edit] United Kingdom
It is claimed that the chip was first sold in Dundee, Scotland, "...in the 1870s, that glory of British gastronomy – the chip – was first sold by Belgian immigrant Edward De Gernier in the city’s Greenmarket."[16]
[edit] United States' world-wide influence
French fries have been widely popularized world-wide by US-originated fast-food chains like McDonald's and Burger King. These french fries usally have a high salt content. This came about through the introduction of the frozen French fry invented by the J.R. Simplot Company in the early 1950s. Before the handshake deal between Ray Kroc of McDonald's and Jack Simplot of the J.R. Simplot Company, potatoes were hand-cut and peeled in the restaurants, but the frozen product reduced preparation time and aided the expansion of the McDonald's franchise. One of the few fast-food chains which still prepares fresh potatoes on the premises is In-N-Out Burger.[17]
[edit] Recent developments
Frozen French fries most often have been pre-fried — it is not unheard of for these to be baked instead of fried — and are widely available in supermarkets.
By the start of the 21st century, frozen fries for home-cooking had become available battered and breaded, and many US fast-food and casual food chains had turned to dusting with a starch, dextrin and flavors coating for crispier fries with particular tastes. The foodservice sector is challenged to create time-saving "fries" that consumers find acceptable. Results with new batterings and breadings followed by microwaving remain substandard though oven frying may deliver reasonable fries, be it different from the traditionally fried item.[18]
"
Originally posted by belgianfreakWhy keep attacking the 'West' when there are truly horrific 'cultures' like that currently infecting Iran, where they hang 16 year-old girls?
ohhhh, hark at him! Apart from beer, chocolate and pointless lacy things I don't know what Belgium has contributed to the world. I certainly didn't know about the pig farms or brothels so it appears you have a much better knowledge of these things than me. Are you suggesting we start a "good things about Belgium" thread to see if anyone else has a bette ...[text shortened]... concentrate on just those and refuse to acknowledge that there might be any good aspects.
Originally posted by Thales2Right, because even with the enormous multiplicity of points of view extant on RHP (not to mention in humanity at large), we can only attack one thing at a time.
Why keep attacking the 'West' when there are truly horrific 'cultures' like that currently infecting Iran, where they hang 16 year-old girls?
Originally posted by Thales2I wasn't having a go at the West, only pointing out it's not perfect either. I could have pointed out bad things about Africa, or Russia, or Asia... but I don't think it would have made the point I was getting at, which (like I said) is that you can point out a bunch of things that are wrong with anysociety. That doesn't mean they don't have any good points amist the bad.
Why keep attacking the 'West' when there are truly horrific 'cultures' like that currently infecting Iran, where they hang 16 year-old girls?
Originally posted by der schwarze RitterFemale genital mutilation is pratised in Africa mainly in both Muslim / Christian based countries and is outlawed in general. Islam is clearly against any form of mutiliation to both humans and animals.
Once you get past the female genital mutilation, honor killings, homicide bombings, anti-Semitism, anti-Americanism, anti-modernism, etc., the Muslim world has a lot to offer by way of their cuisine and architecture.
As I understand it, its a tribal thing which is used to stop women from enjoying sex too much and hence not stray from their husbands
Honour killings happen throughtout the world and in countries such as India by Hindus for example. Islam is clearly against the killing of innocents
Homicide bombings (I take it you mean Suicide attack) again happen across the world by a cross section of cultures from Japan to the Tamil Tigers of Sri Lanka (who are not Muslim) and throughout history. They are a military tatic which is used. Although maybe you can remind me who actually came up with the idea in history ? Islam is clearly against the killing of innocents
Anti-Semitism is again across the world for example in France / Germany their has been a rise in recent years.
And if anything they point out the injustice that the Palestine People suffer which your country "indirectly" finances through US tax payers dollars being givern to Israel
Anti-Modernism, not sure what you mean by that ? But last time I went to a Muslim country I was able to send emails, drive a car, use the phone and bascially live how I wanted within the law.
So thanks for your generlisations which your are applying to the Muslim world...maybe you should go to one and experience it. Morocco is always a good starting place.
Originally posted by RSMA1234Can I wear my tank top and shorts, with flip flops?🙂
Female genital is pratised in Africa mainly in both Muslim / Christian based countries and is outlawed in general. Islam is clearly against any form of mutiliation to both humans and animals.
Honour killings happen throughtout the world and in countries such as India by Hindus for example.
Homicide bombings (I take it you mean Suicide attack) again ha ...[text shortened]... world...maybe you should go to one and experience it. Morocco is always a good starting place.
And my wife the same?