The name French fries implies that this dish can be traced back to France; however, the origins of this ubiquitous dish can be traced back to Belgium. It is rumored that French fries received that name during WWI. At that time, American soldiers were introduced to the fried potatoes in Belgium, but because they thought they were situated in France (due to the fact that part of Belgium speaks French), the soldiers nicknamed these fried potatoes as French fries, instead of calling them fried potatoes.
The Origin of Frites in Belgium
The first to discover potatoes were the Spanish in the early 15th century, and 200 years later in the late 17th century, the Belgians introduced the first fried potatoes, more specifically, between the two cities of Liège and Dinant, which are located in the southern part of Belgium. It is believed the original idea came from the practice of catching and frying small fish from the Meuse river, yet as the river froze during winter time, people used the same procedure but with potatoes instead. This marked the beginning of what would become a national dish in Belgium and a longstanding tradition to its cuisine.