6 surprising facts about french fries

There are few foods that have been eaten at some point by just about everyone in the Western world, but french fries are one of them. Call them fries, call them chips, call them frites — whatever you call them, fried potato sticks are one of the most universally beloved junk foods on earth. What is it about fries that makes them so popular? It’s probably the fact that, calorie count aside, they’re the perfect food. When submerged in hot oil that’s the right temperature for the right amount of time, something magical happens to sticks of sliced potatoes: They get golden brown and crispy on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside, and become the perfect vessel for just about any topping, from salt and ketchup to gravy and cheese curds. But they’re not just an American food, they’re popular the world over. And why not? Fries are just about impossible to dislike. More