The Murky History Of The Curly Fry

As soon as the first chef sliced a potato into thin wedges and dunked them in hot oil, curly fries were inevitable. Regular french fries did the job just fine, of course, as they do to this day — shout out to Five Guys and all of the extra fries in their ludicrously overstuffed fry containers — but who could resist the allure of the curly fry? Not only are they sliced into whimsical little ribbons that curl over on themselves like the golden locks of a fairy tale protagonist, they're usually coated with a seasoning mixture that adds wonderful flavor and crunch. It's almost unbelievable that so few fast food franchises have embraced the curl. (Is it the ideal french fry shape? Maybe.)

But where did curly fries come from? As is often the case with food history, there isn't really a clear answer. One thing we do know for sure is that Arby's didn't invent them: The roast beef sandwich chain only introduced curly fries to its menu in 1988. (They may, however, have been the first to season them with that particular spice blend that's become a key part of the curly fry experience.) But if Arby's didn't invent them (like they did curly fry vodka), who did, and when? The answer may date back to the 19th century.

A recipe for curly fries appeared over 200 years ago

Although it may not have had the zesty, vaguely Cajun spice blend of modern curly fries, there is a recipe from the 19th century that bears a close resemblance to the potato swirls we know and love today. Mary Randolph, who published "The Virginia Housewife" in 1824, likely intended her fried potato spirals as an edible garnish rather than a full-on side dish, but otherwise the method for making them is more or less the same as it is now.

Now, just because a recipe appeared in a cookbook doesn't necessarily mean it was widespread. In fact, it's entirely possible that other cooks came about curly fries independently. Either way, the first recorded use of them in a restaurant was in 1940, when they were served by the Dolores Restaurant and Drive-In in Oklahoma City. It would take almost fifty more years for Arby's to adopt these curly morsels for their own purposes — but better late than never, right? After all, Arby's only got into hamburgers after almost 60 years in business.

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