Sales of French cheese and wine fell in the USA. Freedom fries resonated as a symbol of the lengths of chest-thumping nationalism, its absurdity so deep that it was immediately disparaged even among those who supported an invasion-in March 2003, a Gallup poll found that 60 percent of Americans were in favor of the war, but 66 percent found Ney’s rebranding of French fries “silly” (as did a lexicographer reflecting on the effort a year later ).įries weren’t the only food that got caught up in the geopolitics of the era. ) Other restaurants around the USA rebranded their fries, including the chain Fuddrucker’s, but it was never truly a national, large-scale trend, and fast-food giants like McDonald’s and Burger King declined to participate -as with so many things, it was more the concept than the breadth that captured attention. The House cafeteria effort followed the lead of a North Carolina restaurant called Cubbie’s, which is generally credited with originating “freedom fries” in February 2003, apparently inspired by World War I-era Americans who started calling frankfurters “hot dogs” and sauerkraut “liberty cabbage.” (“It's our way of showing our patriotic pride,” Cubbie’s owner Neal Rowland told the Midland Daily News. Jones, both Republicans, to use their power to change the menu of the House cafeteria so that, effective March 11, 2003, “French fries” were renamed “freedom fries” and “French toast” became “freedom toast.” Ney and Jones, in an official statement, said that “The action today is a small, but symbolic, effort to show the strong displeasure many on Capitol Hill have with our so-called ally, France.” The United States wanted the UN Security Council to support an invasion, but France and Germany opposed it, which led U.S. Bush was keen to invade Iraq, as part of its “War on Terror” following the attacks of Septem(which, another reminder, were not connected in any way to the Iraqi government or any Iraqi citizens). And that, in turn, has has led me to French fries-or, actually, freedom fries, the attempt to rebrand deep-fried potato sticks back in the early 2000s as a low-key taunt to the nation of France.Ī reminder of the backstory, if one is needed: in early 2003, the administration of U.S. It’s gotten me thinking about other ways we represent this country, the visual and cultural markers of Who We Are (the flag, the Statue of Liberty, old-school Americana like Route 66) and what endures as part of the mythology and what fades. So much noise and bluster, obnoxious to me but clearly a great joy to others, which is true of so many symbols of American culture. Not the official shows, of course-those ended hours ago-but the ones random people launch from alleys and yards and streets and parks, a percussive chorus of booms and pops that is apparently, supposedly, somehow a celebratory gesture in honor of the Fourth of July.
It’s a bit after midnight on July 5th as I write this and the fireworks are still going off.
An online version of the menu still shows “freedom fries” because he hasn’t updated it yet.Freedom fries stand (Atlantic City, 2006) photo via Wikipedia Commons / Snack Stack illustration
The House cafeteria quietly changed the name back to french fries in 2006, and other restaurants through the years have followed suit.įarrell Corcoran, the owner of Maggie May’s in Bayside, Queens, said they changed the name back to french fries about two years ago. In 2009, the country singer’s company announced it would serve up some of Keith’s favorite food, including pulled-pork sandwiches, meatloaf and, oh yes, “freedom fries.” Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill was one of the most recent restaurants to jump on the “freedom” bandwagon.
“We are recognizing those who are prepared to fight for us today,” President Bryce King said in March 2003. The burger chain Fuddruckers, with more than 200 locations, was among the restaurants who vowed to nix “french fries” from menus. “I won’t even mention the other name,” Palm Beach County Commissioner Burt Aaronson said, referring to the word “French.”
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