Today is National French Fries Day.

French fries were likely invented in Belgium in 1680. During a cold winter, the Meuse River froze over, and people couldn’t catch the small fish they usually fried and ate. Instead, they cut potatoes into strips and fried them in oil. Their name from American soldiers stationed in Belgium during World War I. The soldiers believed they were in France because part of Belgium speaks French. They called the fried potatoes “French fries”.

The first French fry recipe was found in 1795 in the French cookbook “La Cuisinière Républicaine”. At about the same time, street vendors in Paris started selling French fries. Another theory says that French fries may have been introduced to French soldiers by the Belgians during the Franco-Austrian war of 1859. When French fries became popular in France, former soldiers introduced the preparation method to the rest of France.

Thomas Jefferson is credited with introducing French fries to America. Jefferson encountered them while serving as American Minister to France from 1784 to 1789. Chalk one up to the street vendors that he likely encountered.

French fries became popular with American soldiers stationed overseas during World War I. The success of fast food in the US increased the consumption of French fries all across the globe.

To this day, Belgium claims to have the best French fries in the world. The secret to making the perfect Belgian fries is that they are double-fried. First, they are cooked, then left to cool down, and finally, just before serving, they are fried again to make them crispy and golden brown.

The perfect Belgian frites are also no more than one centimetre (0.4 inches) thick, and the procedure involves frying the potatoes twice. In fact, they are even prepared in a special oil made from a mix of horse and cow fat.

 

Through Thick and Thin

People seem to have strong opinions about thick vs thin fries.

Thick cut French fries have a soft, fluffy interior and a crispy, golden exterior. They have a longer-lasting crunch and are more satisfying to bite into. Thin cut fries have a uniform crispiness and delicate texture. They are perfect for dipping and have a more refined taste.

Thicker fries have less surface area to volume ratio, which means less heavily fried outer coating. This reduces the fat and calorie content. Thinner fries cook faster in oil because they have more exposure to oil.

The ideal size for French fries is about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. If you cut them smaller, they will be too crispy and contain more oil. If you cut them larger, they will be too moist and mushy in the center.

You can cut your fries as thick or thin as you prefer but try to cut them to be about the same size. You can also use a French fry cutter to make this easier.

The United States Department of Agriculture suggests a serving size of 12-15 fries, which amounts to roughly 140 calories.

Americans eat more than 4.5 billion pounds of French fries each year. The average American eats almost 30 pounds of fries a year.

French fries are one of the most popular dishes in the United States. They are commonly served as a side dish to main dishes and in fast food restaurants.

According to The Wall Street Journal and experts, Belgians consume a third more French fries per capita than Americans. French fries are Belgium’s national dish.

 

Here are some fun facts about French fries:

• The average American eats almost 30 pounds of French fries a year.
• McDonald’s sells more than 1/3 of all the French fries sold in restaurants in the U.S. each year.
• McDonald’s French fries used to be only 10¢.
• Japan had chocolate-drizzled French fries in their McDonald’s.
• The world’s longest curly fry was discovered in an Arby’s and measured 38 in (96.52 cm) long.
• Belgium consumes the most French fries of any European country.
• Wendy’s has the best overall French fry.

 

Here is a French Fry Recipe for you to Try:

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 pounds Russet potatoes
• oil for frying I use vegetable or peanut oil
• salt and pepper to taste

 

Instructions:

1. Cut the potatoes into matchsticks, either with a knife or with a french fry cutter. The potato pieces should all be similar in size.
2. Place the potatoes in a bowl of cold water. Soak the potatoes for at least 30 minutes.
3. Drain the water from the potatoes. Place the potatoes on a layer of paper towels and pat thoroughly with additional towels until dry.
4. Pour 3 inches of oil into a large, deep pot. Heat the oil to 300 degrees F.
5. Place about 1/3 of the potatoes in the pot and cook until tender. This takes about 4-5 minutes. Repeat the process with the remaining potatoes.
6. Increase the heat of the oil to 400 degrees F. Place 1/3 of the potatoes back in the pot and cook for an additional 1-3 minutes or until golden brown. Repeat the process with the remaining potatoes. Place the cooked potatoes on a sheet pan lined with paper towels.
7. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste over the fries. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

 

The French don’t call their fried potatoes French fries. Instead, they call them pommes frites, or more simply, frites. Pommes means “apples” and frites means “fried”.

In the UK, French fries are called “chips”. In Italy, “French fries” translates as patate fritte (literally, fried potatoes). You can also say patatine fritte.

No matter what you call them, today is the day to get some fries. So, grab your favorite fries today and celebrate National French Fry Day. We are here for you through thick or thin. Let us know your favorite kind of fries.