Why French Fries Called French Fries

French fries, or what we usually call French fries, are called “French Fries” in English. There are many theories about the origin of its name:

Origin 1

French fries originated from France or Belgium. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, French chefs began to popularize fried potato fries and named them “French Fries”. Later, the French introduced this kind of fried potato fries to the United States, making it a popular food and retaining the name.

In the early 19th century, US President Jefferson had a royal French chef. Jefferson recorded the chef’s recipe for French fries in his manuscript, which was the first time that French fries appeared in a recipe.

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Origin 2

French fries were originally a peasant food in northern France or the Meuse River Basin in Belgium. They were invented around 1680 AD. At that time, because poor people could not catch fish in winter, they cut potatoes into fish-shaped and fried them to satisfy their hunger. Over time, the shape of this food gradually evolved from fish-shaped to long and thin strips, and they were called French fries. After trying this delicacy in Belgium during World War I, American soldiers brought it back to the United States. At that time, the common language in the Belgian army was French, so they thought they were eating “French fries” and naturally called them “French fries.”

Origin 3

The term French fries is actually related to the Irish language. In ancient Irish, the adjective pronounced “French” simply means “chopped”. Therefore, “French Fries” literally refers to chopped potatoes, not specifically French fries.

Origin 4

French fries are called “French Fries” because “French” means “long and thin” in addition to “French”. French fries are a kind of long and thin fried potato strips, hence the name. It’s just that as French cuisine became famous internationally, “French Fries” was misunderstood as French fries.

The origin of the name of French fries may involve multiple aspects such as history, language and culture. Although there are many theories, each one reflects the evolution and popularity of French fries in different cultures and historical periods. Today, French fries have become a global fast food and are deeply loved by people.