One of America’s favorite go-to snacks, potato chips, has a long and interesting history. First, the salty, crispy, potato-y treat is more than 150 years old. It was, according to legend, invented in 1863.
George Crum, the inventor of the potato chip ... or so the story goes. (worthpoint.com)
Second, it was invented by a talented and respected African American chef. Lastly, potato chips were invented in response to complaints by a finicky diner. Let’s learn how potato chips came to be.
George Crum
Crum and his sister, Catherine, otherwise known as Aunt Katie. (liveplayeat.com)
George Crum liked to poke fun at his own name. He often used the last name “Speck”, a synonym of “Crumb”. Born in 1824, Crum started his culinary career working as a hunting guide in the Adirondack Mountains. Part of his job was to prepare meals for his clients. More often than not, they raved about his campfire cooking. Crum, along with his sister, Catherine “Katie” Adkins Wicks (remember her … she will be important later), were hired to work in the kitchen at Moon’s Lake House, located on Sarasota Lake, outside Sarasota Springs, New York.
A Celebrated Chef
Crum was a talented chef who liked to experiment with different dishes. (originalsarasotachips.com)
As a cook at Moon’s Lake House, George Crum’s talent quickly moved him into the chef position. He had a knack for creating unique dishes and loved to experiment with different flavor combinations and techniques in the restaurant’s kitchen. Preparing wild game was his specialty. He used duck, venison, and pheasant. Because of Crum’s creations, Moon’s Lake House was quite popular among the well-to-do and wealthy elite.
A Picky Guest
Moon's Lake House capitalized on its signature potato chips. (originalsarasotachips.com)
According to legend, George Crum was making dinner for the guests of Moon’s Lake House one busy dinner rush when a member of the wait staff sent a complaint back to the kitchen. A finicky guest was upset that his potatoes were sliced too thickly. He demanded that the chef slice the potatoes thinner. Crum was annoyed. In response, he sliced the potatoes as thin as he possibly could. He thought, if the demanding customer couldn’t even pick up the potatoes with a fork without crumbling them, he would surely see the folly of his complaint. To Crum’s surprise, the customer loved the crispy, thinly sliced potatoes.
Who Was That Picky Customer?
Cornelius Vanderbilt (onthisday.com)
According to most accounts of the creation of potato chips, the finicky and demanding customer at Moon’s Lake House that day in 1853 was none other than Cornelius Vanderbilt, the railroad and shipping baron and the richest man in America. However, most historians and biographers discount this story. They state that there is no truth to the claim that Vanderbilt was that picky potato lover.
Did George Crum Really Invent Potato Chips?
Did George Crum get the credit for his sister's invention. (thefamouspeople.com)
There is also some debate about whether the creation of potato chips can even be credited to George Crum. As a noted chef, Crum had a reputation for creating culinary delights. In fact, the New York Herald referred to Crum as “the best cook in the country.” But, during his lifetime, Crum wasn’t known for his potato chips, like he was for many of his other menu items. Even his obituary when Crum died in 1914 neglected to mention his connection to the invention of potato chips.
There was no mention of potato chips in George Crum’s obituary, however there was a reference to the crispy snack in the obituary of Crum’s sister, Catherine Adkins Wicks. Known as Aunt Katie, Wicks worked alongside Crum in the kitchen of Moon’s Lake House. A different version of the invention of potato chips states that Aunt Katie was the one who sliced the potatoes paper-thin for the crabby customer. But there is another variation of the story. In this one, Aunt Katie was peeling potatoes when she accidentally dropped a thin slice into some boiling fat. She quickly pulled the potato slice out of the fat and noticed how nicely golden brown it was. She tasted it and found the crispiness to be delightful.
From Haute Cuisine to Snack Bowls
Potato chips moved from fine dining restaurants to living room snack bowls. (worthpoint.com)
After potato chips were first served at Moon’s Lake House, other fine dining establishments sought to replicate the dish. In posh restaurants across the country, potato chips were the side dish served with roasted pheasant, steaks, and chicken. It wasn’t until after Crum’s death that potato chips were mass manufactured for grocery sales. By the late 1930s, potato chip companies, like Lay’s and Fritos, made commercially viable chips for American consumers.
