Do French fries have anything to do with France? 

What’s that one universally popular snack that most of you, even the healthiest ones, can’t really resist? We are talking about French fries here. After all, who doesn’t like a bowl full of deep-fried potato munchies with a touch of ketchup or mayonnaise on the side while watching their favourite game or movie? But, have you ever wondered whether French fries really have any ties with France? The answer, it turns out, is 'no’. If not from France, then how did French fries get their name? Let’s find out. 
 
Naming of French fries 
As some of you might know, the French gave the world a lot of fine things, starting from the sewing machine to hot air balloon. It reserved its undisputed place in history, thanks to the unforgettable French Revolution. In fact, they even gifted USA the famous Statue of Liberty. But, one thing they can’t take credit for is the French fries.  

Okay, so then, how did French fries get its name? Turns out, the French part of the name refers to the style in which the potatoes are prepared, more specifically the cutting technique (cutting into strips), which is known as juliennes or frenching. So, it has nothing to do with the country France, nor with the type of frying. In fact, the term French fries only emerged in 1903, and was the shorter version of the earlier French-fried potatoes. 

Born in Belgium, not France 
As we have already understood, French fries have nothing to do with France as such. This is leads to the next and most obvious questions: Where did it originate? The answer is Belgium, and the time period would be the late 1600s.  

According to several folklores, during this time, several poor villagers living in the Meuse Valley, the region along the Meuse River between Liege and Huy, Belgium, often devoured small fried fish that they caught in the river. In fact, it was their staple food. However, during the winter, the local rivers froze making it difficult to fish. This is when the villagers were forced to find other sources of food, when potatoes made an entry in their meals! They sliced the potatoes in strips and deep fried them, much like their fish preparation. And thus, French fries were born. 

From French-fried potatoes to French fries 
Are you wondering, when did the French-fried potatoes turn into French fries. That would be during the First World War when American Expeditionary Forces were stationed in Belgium and got introduced to the potato fries. Now, since the official language of the Belgian Army was French back then, the US forces nicknamed the delicious snack as French fries. Somehow, the name stuck by, and the rest, as they say is history. Interestingly, French fries have the popular nickname of chips in the UK, Ireland and Australia. It is often served with fried or baked fish.