h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I was wondering what nationality potato chips are? I know spaghetti is chinese(or asian if you prefer)and Pizza is technicly American, although it is derived from Italian food. But where do Potato Chips comefrom? Who invented them? and Why?

The MAd1

From a brit perspective do you mean chips or crisps.

PS I dont have a clue about the answer.

I don't know where chips in the British sense of the word came from, but I once read that potato chips (or crisps in the UK) were invented by accident. A chef (don't know where from) sliced some potatoes very thinly and started to fry them. He was then told that dinner would be delayed, so he took them out of the hot fat. A while later he was told he could start cooking again, so he put them back in the hot fat and potato chips were born. They were an immediate success.

I don't know if this is true, it's just what I read.

I always understood that pizza was Italian, not American. They do cook an awful lot of it over there, but I don't know whether they call it something different. Hot dogs and hamburgers, on the other hand, are American, although technically 'hamburger' is short for 'hamburger steak', i.e. a steak from Hamburg. It does not, as some British food companies seem to think, indicate the meat content of the item, which should be beef. There is no such thing as a 'beefburger', as there is no such place as 'Beefburg'. Sheesh!!! (OK, gripe over!)

Are these not the same as game chips???

In my best pedantic mode, I must underline that Pizza does not come from Italy. It was invented for a world fair in the States - on the other hand there's a variant called Zapiekanki in Poland that (I think) predates Pizza.
Wouldn't chips have come from a fish shop (ie one that fries fish) possibly in Ireland?? When I was a child (in the dark ages) chips were only ever served with fried fish. On the other hand, if you do mean "crisps", you're on your own.
(How many hands have you got?).

The French call 'em pommes frites. Whether this refers to just French Fries and/or Fish 'n' Chips chips, or if they refer to the potato chip/crisp as well, I don't know. I have had crisped potatoes served to me in a restaurant, though I don't know if that's any help either.

As for Pizza, that Zapiekanki has to be pretty old, pre-Roman in fact, but if it has kielbasa on it, its got my vote!

Here in France, Crisps are " Chips", Chips can be "pommes frites", "pommes allumettes" or " pommes Pont Neuf"

S

This french is all very well but come to my home page for a real linguistic challenge. Anybody speak Welsh?

Check out the web page for Potato Chips of the "Atlas of Popular Culture in the Northeastern United States by John E.Harmon" http://www.geography.ccsu.edu/harmonj/atlas/potchips.htm.

In summary - invented by George Crum at Moon Lake Lodge in Sarasota Springs, NY in the summer of 1853. "Why" is for revenge

on whom?

Ok, maybe I should clarify the question for you Brits. I am referring to Potato chips(american, not Chips(like in Fish n Chips)).I think you Brits may call them crisps? you know, those salty things made by LAys and Ruffles.

The MAd1

Shall we read the article and find out?

Oh.. and if that link didn't work for you, try this one:

http://www.geography.ccsu.edu/harmonj/atlas/potchips.htm

'Nonnie
(Unrelenting URL unmucker )

Thanx. The link didn't work yesterday, but our engineer has just been and both upgraded and completely defragged my computer for me, so everything is now hunkydory. It looks as though he's also cleaned the gunge out of my keyboard, some of which _was_ potato chips.

Damn that cut-and-paste thang - thanks for fixing the extra '.'

Certainly not a problem!

That first time they mentioned the town was a typo. It's not Sarasota Springs, New York; it's Saratoga Springs, New York as they show you on the map. Just a bit sensitive 'cause it's my home town