The story of French fries

Mon ami Alain at French Virtual Cafe takes his time in posting entries, but when he chooses a subject, he covers it with a thoroughness that has the texture of a good magazine article. His latest discourse is on pommes frites (a.k.a. French fries), and it contains just about everything you'd want to know about them. There are marvelous stories about being in France and devouring samples from street vendors; notes about the origins of the dish, and France's arguments with Belgium about bragging rights; definitions; best cooking methods (and what potatoes to use); how they arrived on U.S. shores (maybe Thomas Jefferson will get credit), and variations on the frites. Plus, if you're in the Chicago area, you'll get recommendations for the best fries in town. Good piece of knowledge: "frites à volonté’’ = "All the fries you can eat." Merci, Alain!