Rebecca Manzi The origin of the chips is not very clear: many attribute them to George Speck Crum, while others to their sister Catherine Wicks. But they were certainly born in Saratoga Springs
@Wikipedia @Yan Krukau/Pexels
Potato chips are one of the most favorite snacks all over the world, but who should be thanked for their invention? It would appear that the credit goes to an African American and Native American chef by the name of George Speck Crum. Born in 1824, Crum worked as a chef at Moon’s Lake House in Saratoga Springs, an exclusive resort town patronized by New York’s high society.
One legend has it that Crum was fed up with one fussy customer who kept sending his fried potatoes back, saying they were too thick. Crum shaved the potatoes into very thin pieces, fried them until they were crisp, and sprinkled a lot of salt on them. This was to be a sarcastic serving, but the customer supposedly loved these “Saratoga Chips“, and thus, they became his signature food item. Then, thinly sliced potato chips just took off.
Did George Crum’s sister contribute to this?
The history of potato chips is still under controversy. According to a few, the sister of Crum, Catherine Wicks (familiarly Kate), was the actual brain behind the innovation. According to some versions, Kate, while working at Moon’s Lake House, accidentally dropped a piece of potato in hot oil. Amazed by the resulting crisps, she served it to Crum, who perfected the idea. This version of events was corroborated by local newspaper reports and even included in Kate’s obituary, suggesting she might have been the true inventor.
Chips as a signature appetizer in Crum’s restaurant
Even though “Saratoga Chips” gained tremendous success, Crum never claimed credit for their invention, and they never appeared on the menu of his restaurant. In addition, this ambiguity, added to the fact that recipes for thin-cut fried potatoes existed before 1853, led many historians to question whether Crum was the sole invention of such a food.
An organization representing snack manufacturers later helped popularize the story of Crum’s chips and, for obvious reasons, went to such lengths as to include unverifiable details like naming the dissatisfied customer the famous magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt.
During the 1860s, Crum ran a restaurant in Malta, New York, that was preferred by the prominent men of the time. In tribute to his culinary memory, Crum would serve diners a basket of chips as a free appetizer to further cement their iconic status.
A legacy born in Saratoga Springs
While one can’t say with absolute certainty who actually invented potato chips, Saratoga Springs remains recognized as the birthplace of this tasty snack. George Crum’s legacy, along with the possible contributions of his sister Kate, is considered an integral part of culinary history to be remembered.
Source: Discover Saratoga
