French fries and the American Way
To the editor:
Frozen spuds dipped in a cauldron of hot oil. Sizzling their way from an icy state into golden delicious loveliness. Yummy. Who could have realized that a simple humble tuber would become a ubiquitous demonstration of the American Way? In China, the Golden Arches and many other U.S. fast food brands stretch far and wide. From small snacking kiosks to multi-level, 24-hour temples devoted to beef, chicken and spuds. In growing neighborhoods, the opening of McDonald’s is viewed as a step forward in social status. My students talk about the treat of french fries and cheeseburgers as if they grew on trees in the forests. Numerous dinners have been on the small tables of one location or another somewhere in the city. While copied and parodied few of the competition can offer the same level of service, consistency, and atmosphere that is found in the the corner Mickey D’s. Asking students to name an American food: The response is split between chicken and beef. The humble spud has done what navies, armies, and war have not been able to do: Unite a disparate world.
There are no monuments to the humble. It is not in our nature to put a mild or meek person on a pedestal. Yet, so many of our greatest moments come at the hands of a simple person. Citing an oft-used example: If the leaders of various countries are in a room discussing affairs of the world and the toilet is not working, then the most powerful person in the world is the plumber. For all the soldiers and tools of war, few things short of total annihilation are more powerful than food. This is the problem that confronts any protective force: Feeding that force!
Part of what led to the Allies being victorious in World War II was the capability of American farms to deliver food. Coming out of that period companies realized there was money to be made in storing and transporting perishable food. Today, our stores and stores around the world showcase this newfound freedom with produce from around the world. China is no exception. On the store shelves are bags of chips. Lay’s has invested heavily in the technology of spuds. Reading of how a deputy mayor from Newfoundland created a moose-maple flavor brings a chuckle.
Here it’s easy to get shrimp, roast chicken, cucumber, and tomato flavored chips. Pour some chocolate on a chip and you have a new nibble appealing to the gourmand and the gourmet. It comes as a bit of a shock to realize that the developer of the frozen spud hails from Caribou. County kid makes good. All those scions and society types with their fanciful dreams and delusions can not provide a simple treat for the stomach. Watching another bunch of youngsters laughing and giggling as they munch on tubers frozen and then fried — it’s nice to know that some stubborn, ignorant dirt farmer from the backwaters of Aroostook County can outfox the most brilliant politicians and political types with a french fry; such a humbling moment.
Orpheus Allison
Guangzhou, China
orpheusallison@mac.com
