That BetterMade thread on the Detroit side got me thinking about these delectable treats and where they originated.
Many know the story of the wealthy patron of Moon's Lake House in Saratoga Springs, an upper New York resort town. It was in 1853, the story goes, and some say the wealthy fussbudget was Cornelius Vanderbilt. At any rate, Moon's had a specialty of Fried Potatoes, and the diner ordered these, eager for a treat. When they came, they just weren't crispy enough to suit him, so he sent them back. Nice try, still not crispy enough. Next try, the chef, working hard in the hot kitchen, decided to teach this guy a lesson. He shaved some potatoes super thin, patted them dry and threw them in the deep fryer. When he took them out, he salted them heavily. He served up a basket of golden treats the fussy diner loved. The table ordered another basket of the treats and raved so much that others began to order them too. And thus Moon's Lake House had a new specialty, Saratoga Chips.
What few know is that the rankled but inventive chef was George Speck Crum, a Mohawk man, who ran the kitchen there along with his sister Catherine Speck Wick.
There's a picture of George here, and some more of the story:
http://members.cox.net/jjschnebel/potchips.html
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