There is controversy over the actual origin of the potato chip. There! I’m saying that upfront. The thing is, folks who dispute the most common explanation do not have an alternative version. So, whether it’s an urban legend, hearsay, or a totally fabricated story, what follows is the most commonly accepted explanation on the invention of the potato chip, so here goes!
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Saratoga Springs, NY
The story begins in 1853. The wealthy steamship and railroad owner, Cornelius Vanderbilt, was sitting down to dinner in the opulent Moon’s Lake Resort dining room. At the time, Moon’s Lake Resort welcomed a host of wealthy and famous diners, and this Saratoga Springs, New York, restaurant was known far and wide for its exquisite fare.
Chef Crum
The chef behind the resort’s wonderful food was George Crum. Born George Speck, Chef Crum was of mixed heritage: half African American and half Native American. He was well known for his carefully prepared meals, such as partridge and quail, often sourced from in and around the restaurant’s very own property.
A picky eater
The story claims that when Mr. Vanderbilt’s meal was presented to him, he refused to eat it. Vanderbilt claimed the fried potatoes were cut too thick. He sent the food back to the kitchen more than once, insisting that the potatoes be cut thinner.
The invention of the potato chip was a prank
Chef Crum became more and more exasperated with the fussy Vanderbilt. Finally, out of frustration, the chef sliced the potatoes as thin as possible and fried them to an absolute crisp! He sent the plate back out to Vanderbilt as a prank, but the joke backfired. Vanderbilt loved the potato’s crispy crunch. Soon, other patrons began to request the “Saratoga Chips” and the food craze spread from upstate New York to many other places.
Crum’s place
Chef Crum opened his own restaurant in 1860, called it “Crum’s Place,” and featured a basket of potato chips on every table. The New York Herald named Chef Crum the “The Best Cook in America” in 1889, and the American Heritage magazine dubbed Crum, “The Edison of Grease.”
Now that you know about the invention of the potato chip, open up that bag of potato chips and toast to Chef George Crum with a hearty crunch!
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Thank you, Gail. True or not, the story is entertaining.
Speaking of potato chips..a monastery was running low on funds and their sale of potatoes they grew just wasn’t bringing in enough money. So..they started making and selling potato chips. The monk in charge was called The Chipmonk. OK..it’s a funny joke. Not true but a little humor is good.
I was just thinking. Some years ago I bought a bag of chips at Trader Joe’s that were made from red potatoes. I LOVED them and went back and bought a backup bag. I have never seen them since. I clicked on the link above which took me to Amazon and their myriad offerings. NO chips made from red potatoes! Lots of red hot chips of all kinds, but no red potatoes. I’m a potato snob and won’t touch anything but red potatoes for baking or mashing. Oh, and in the UK potato chips are referred to as “crisps”.
I am an elementary school teacher and I teach the history of the potato chip. The story is the same with the exception that they were first called crisps and later became potato chips.
The next prank was from who ever invented the bag that flies apart and sends your chips flying all over everywhere.
Exactly right, Dan!
Nailed it!
ha!
was drivin my chev blazer camper across Death Valley, non-existent a/c fan blasting away, trying to open my bag o chips with my teeth…bam! had potato chips floating around my cab like snow flakes.
miss those times.