Ah yes, delicious French Fries! I don’t think you’ll find too many people who don’t love this delectable treat. Sprinkled with salt, dunked in ketchup, covered with gravy, dipped in sweet and sour sauce, or soaked in vinegar—everyone has their own specific way of enjoying these small cuts of potato heaven. For the last half-century, the French fry has become a key element of the fast food restaurant business. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll realize that they’ve also taken a huge hit in the media, along with nearly all other types of fast food, as being very unhealthy. The truth is, if foods like this are consumed all the time, they are. If you’ve seen the movie Super Size Me, you’ve seen firsthand what a diet consisting solely of fast food, such as French fries, can do to you both externally and internally.
The Origins of the French Fry
To get a better perspective on the French fry, let’s take a look at its origins.
The name “French Fry” comes from “French fried potatoes,” and they are also known as “chips” in other parts of the world, such as England (famous for Fish and Chips). They are chopped-up pieces of potatoes that have been deep fried. The simplest way of looking at them, in technical terms, is that French fries are “potatoes fried in the French manner.” In this case, “fry” means to either sauté or deep-fry. When we, as North Americans, think of them, we picture the shapes of fast food fries like those at McDonald’s or Wendy’s. There are a couple of different claims as to who first created these French-fried potatoes, or French fries.
The Belgians are known for claiming that, although the name suggests otherwise, French fries actually originated in Belgium. However, there has been no definitive evidence to prove this outright. Whether or not they were created in this small European country, they quickly became Belgium’s national dish, making the Belgians at least the symbolic creators of the French fry. They are also Europe’s heaviest consumers of the fried dish. According to one Belgian historian, French fries got their start in Belgium in the 1680s when some poor inhabitants of the Meuse Valley, accustomed to frying small fish to accompany their meals, decided to cut potatoes lengthwise and fry them in oil when the river nearby froze over and they had no access to fish.
There are also origin stories pointing to France, England, and even Spain (the first European country to discover the potato), but Belgium’s claim has been widely accepted. Even the French credit them.
No matter where they were first cooked, the art of frying potatoes has been passed on to our generation.
When it comes to preparing and cooking French fries, some home cooks who make them from scratch fry them just once in a generous amount of pre-heated oil at around 375°F until they are golden and crispy. This method usually takes no longer than a minute and produces good-tasting fries. However, the method recommended by most cookbooks and perfected by restaurants with the “best fries” involves two stages of cooking.
First, the potatoes are fried at around 350°F until the fries are nearly cooked but still somewhat limp and pale. This stage softens the potatoes and thoroughly cooks the inside, but it doesn’t brown them. The second stage involves removing the fries from the oil, allowing them to cool, and then frying them again at 375°F until they are crispy and golden brown. This usually takes no more than a minute and gives you the best-tasting fries possible. The best oil for making French fries seems to be fresh peanut oil (for health reasons), though for taste, rendered beef suet is hard to beat. The best potatoes for French fries are typically baking or russet potatoes.
Given how they are cooked, it’s not surprising that French fries have recently come under fire for health concerns, especially when consumed in large amounts and frequently. French fries can contain a large amount of fat from the frying process and from the toppings that usually accompany them (condiments, gravy, etc.). The trans fats in French fries are harmful to your health as they can contribute to heart disease and other ailments. The high sodium content, often consumed with fries, is also bad for blood pressure. The real problems arise when French fries are eaten too often or in large portions. In fact, McDonald’s has even eliminated its Super Size options in response to the research and facts presented in Super Size Me.
French fries have also played a small role in the political world. Recently, Americans changed the name of French fries to “Freedom Fries” to distance themselves from the “French” association. This was in response to France’s lack of support, and somewhat opposition, to the U.S.’s involvement in the Middle East.
