Freedom fries

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(I. Ron. E)
(I. Ron. E)
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[[Ironic]]ally, french fries were not originally a French food but a [[Belgium|Belgian]] one.  The term was carried over to the United States by veterans of [[World War I]], who also brought us the term "French toast," even though the concept for French toast was also created in Belgium.  
 
[[Ironic]]ally, french fries were not originally a French food but a [[Belgium|Belgian]] one.  The term was carried over to the United States by veterans of [[World War I]], who also brought us the term "French toast," even though the concept for French toast was also created in Belgium.  
  
There is some conjecture about this, apparently, according to Bill Bryson in his book "At Home" French Fries were first bought to (US)American attention by Thomas Jefferson. Even more ironically potato's are a New World Native and were first bought to European attention due to the Columbian Exchange (http://www.answers.com/topic/columbian-exchange)
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This should be taken with a grain of salt however; apparently, according to Bill Bryson in his book "At Home" French Fries were first invented inside (US)America by Thomas Jefferson who was a great experimenter of alternative food preparation for his day; particularly deep frying. Even more ironically potato's are a New World Native and were first bought to European attention due to the Columbian Exchange (http://www.answers.com/topic/columbian-exchange)
  
 
==A tradition of silliness==
 
==A tradition of silliness==

Revision as of 04:28, 10 March 2014

Deliciously edible!

Food and Diet

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Dubious diets
Food woo
"Freedom fries" on the menu of an American cafeteria in June 2004.

Freedom fries was a term coined by U.S. Congressman Walter Jones (R-NC) in response to France's refusal to join the carnage in the Iraq War that the US was busy launching in late 2002 - early 2003. He sponsored a bill requiring the Capitol cafeterias to relabel "french fries" as "freedom fries." Interestingly, later, Jones not only denounced his own concept, but turned against the Iraq War.[1][2] It seems the "cheese eating surrender monkeys" were on to something.

Contents

Really?

Yes, really. In the United States, fried potato strips (called "chips" in the UK) have long been referred to as french fries (due to the method used to cook them[3]; they are technically called 'french fried potatoes'). However, in 2003 the same Bush Administration which delivered two recessions issued a mournful edict: the occasion of this directive was the intransigence of France, which refused to mobilize an armored division to pre-emptively invade Iraq after Colin Powell went before the United Nations Security Council and revealed incontrovertible evidence of the presence of Weapons of Mass Destruction there. In retaliation, Congressman Jones suggested that french fries should henceforth be labeled freedom fries, solely and forever. This relabeling never really caught on, and by 2009 has pretty much been completely abandoned outside of fringe wingnut circles.

Response

Woody Allen replied that he would rather give a french kiss to his wife than a freedom kiss.

In 2003, an adult toy store in Colorado Springs began offering "freedom ticklers."[4] So far as we have been able to ascertain, however, no musical instrument store sold "freedom horns", and no breakfast establishment served "freedom toast."

On March 11, 2003, the cafeteria menus in the three House office buildings changed the name of french fries to freedom fries to comply with the new regulation. During the lead up to Operation Iraqi Freedom that same week, Turkey refused to allow the 4th Infantry Division to transit their country and open up a second front in the north of Iraq. Fresh from their success in chastening the French, Internet wingnuts ordered the world that Thanksgiving Turkeys be known as "Independence Birds."

Signs are still seen here and there proclaiming that freedom fries are on offer.

I. Ron. E

Ironically, french fries were not originally a French food but a Belgian one. The term was carried over to the United States by veterans of World War I, who also brought us the term "French toast," even though the concept for French toast was also created in Belgium.

This should be taken with a grain of salt however; apparently, according to Bill Bryson in his book "At Home" French Fries were first invented inside (US)America by Thomas Jefferson who was a great experimenter of alternative food preparation for his day; particularly deep frying. Even more ironically potato's are a New World Native and were first bought to European attention due to the Columbian Exchange (http://www.answers.com/topic/columbian-exchange)

A tradition of silliness

Compare this phenomenon to the substitutions of "hot dog" for "frankfurter" (which caught on enough to survive)[5] and "liberty cabbage" for "sauerkraut" (which is downright silly, and didn't). Anti-German sentiment during World War I was responsible for this sort of thing. Dachsunds also became "liberty hounds." The dumbest of these was the renaming of German measles to "liberty measles."[6]

One might wonder at Americans associating the French with freedom and the Germans with liberty.

Similarly, during the Cold War when the word "red" was used as a derogatory term for communists and socialists, the Cincinnati Reds officially changed their name from "Reds" to "Redlegs" from the 1953 through the 1960 seasons. (The team still uses the name "Mr. Redlegs" for its 1890s-style mascot.)

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