History of: Liège Waffle | Belgian Frites

Potatoes have been fried in 1680 in the Spanish Netherlands, in the area of "the Meuse Valley" between Dinant and Liège, Belgium. The poor inhabitants of this region used to eat small fried fish. When the river froze up and they were unable to fish, they cut potatoes lengthwise and fried them in oil to substitute.

In 1857, a local newspaper "Courrier de Verviers" devoted an article to Fritz (assumed pun with 'frites'). He was a Belgian entrepreneur selling fries at fairs. People back then called him "le roi des pommes de terre frites" (The king of fried potatoes). In 1862, a stall selling fried potatoes called "Max en Fritz" was established near Het Steen in Antwerp.

As for the name "French fries", it is alleged to come from either the Irish "to french", meaning "to cut", or from the American allies who, after landing in the Belgian Ardennes, tried our tasty fried potatoes and called them "French fries". French for the native language and fries for how they were cooked. Either way, fries are definitely Belgian!