<P> Thomas Jefferson had `` potatoes served in the French manner '' at a White House dinner in 1802 . The expression `` French fried potatoes '' first occurred in print in English in the 1856 work Cookery for Maids of All Work by E. Warren : `` French Fried Potatoes . -- Cut new potatoes in thin slices , put them in boiling fat , and a little salt ; fry both sides of a light golden brown colour ; drain . '' It is apparent that this account refers to thin , shallow - fried slices of potato -- it is not clear where or when the now familiar deep - fried batons or fingers of potato were first prepared . In the early 20th century , the term `` French fried '' was being used in the sense of `` deep - fried '' for foods like onion rings or chicken . It is unlikely that `` French fried '' refers to frenching in the sense of julienning , which is not attested until after French fried potatoes . Previously , frenching referred only to trimming meat off the shanks of chops . </P>
<P> Thomas Jefferson had `` potatoes served in the French manner '' at a White House dinner in 1802 . The expression `` French fried potatoes '' first occurred in print in English in the 1856 work Cookery for Maids of All Work by E. Warren : `` French Fried Potatoes . -- Cut new potatoes in thin slices , put them in boiling fat , and a little salt ; fry both sides of a light golden brown colour ; drain . '' It is apparent that this account refers to thin , shallow - fried slices of potato -- it is not clear where or when the now familiar deep - fried batons or fingers of potato were first prepared . In the early 20th century , the term `` French fried '' was being used in the sense of `` deep - fried '' for foods like onion rings or chicken . It is unlikely that `` French fried '' refers to frenching in the sense of julienning , which is not attested until after French fried potatoes . Previously , frenching referred only to trimming meat off the shanks of chops . </P>
who came up with the name french fries
who came up with the name french fries
E. Warren
E. Warren