The Inventor of the Potato Chip
The Inventor of the Potato Chip
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The Inventor of the Potato Chip
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Post #1 - February 21st, 2014, 10:54 amDear LTH,
If you are friends with me on Facebook or some other social media, then you know I take the month of February to highlight Black History Month each day. It's always a delight because I learn something new. Over the years friends, both Af-Am and not, send me messages or posts of other famous black folks.
A few moments ago I learned of Mr. George Crum. Mr. Crum is credited with the creation of the potato chip.
From the MIT Lemels Inventor Page:In the summer of 1853, he was working as a chef at Saratoga Springs' elegant Moon Lake Lodge resort, where French-fried potatoes were a favorite on the menu. This preparation for potatoes, in which the tubers are cut lengthwise, lightly fried, and eaten with a fork, is said to have become popular in the 1700s. Thomas Jefferson, having enjoyed them in France during his service as an ambassador to that country, is known to have introduced them to local folks at home and liked to eat and serve them frequently.
As the story goes, Crum, whose sister Kate worked alongside him as a prep cook, became agitated when a customer sent his French-fried potatoes back to the kitchen complaining that they were cut too thickly. Crum, by all accounts somewhat of an ornery and at times sarcastic man, reacted by slicing the potatoes as thin as he possibly could, frying them in grease, and sending the crunchy brown chips back out on the guest's plate that way.
The reaction was unexpected: The guest loved the crisps. In fact, other guests began asking for them as well, and soon Crum's "Saratoga Chips" became one of lodge's most popular treats.
In 1860, Crum opened his own restaurant, "Crumbs House," near Saratoga Lake where he catered to an upscale clientele. Guests are said to have included the likes of William Vanderbilt, Cornelius Vanderbilt and Jay Gould. One of the restaurant's attractions was that a basket of potato chips was placed on every table.
I hope to make some potato chips this weekend. And February 2015 should feature a Potato Chip Fest.Homemade Potato Chips
Ava-"If you get down and out, just get in the kitchen and bake a cake."- Jean Strickland
Horto In Urbs- Falling in love with Urban Vegetable Gardening
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Post #2 - February 21st, 2014, 12:43 pmThanks for this. I was familiar with the general outlines, but didn't know the whole, interesting story. When visiting Saratoga Springs last summer for a day, we enjoyed "Saratoga Chips" with our lunch ... they were an upcharge item over standard, bagged chips and were hand-made on premises, and hopefully at least close to Mr. Crum's original. It's worth noting that they were, as described in your story, brown and very crunchy. Now, if I could only remember where we ate them.
(But I'll wager lots of places there must offer them.)
JiLS
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