Early Origins
While the exact origins of French fries are disputed, most accounts trace them back to Belgium and France in the late 16th century. Some sources claim they originated from the French province of Flanders, now part of Belgium, while others say they developed in Paris, France. What's known for sure is that frying potato slices in oil became a popular street food and fast food in both nations starting in the 1600s. Belgian and French chefs began slicing and deep frying locally grown potatoes, creating the first version of what we now call french fries.
Popularity Spreads across Europe
Throughout the 1700s and 1800s, sliced French Fries potatoes gained widespread popularity across Western Europe. Street vendors and public markets in Belgium, France, Netherlands and Britain sold fried potatoes as an inexpensive, tasty snack. Regional varieties began emerging too - Belgian and Dutch fries became thinner and crispier compared to thicker French fries styles. Migrating European immigrants introduced fried potato variations to North and South America starting in the 1830s. Soldiers from Belgium and France brought fries with them during World Wars One and Two, cementing their popularity with Allied troops.
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