Potato chips

Potato chips are a crunchy snack.

People slice potatoes very thin. Then they fry them in hot oil. Some chips are just salty. Others have many flavors like cheese.

Some chips are cooked in a special way. These are called kettle chips. They are thicker and have a hard bite. They are fun to eat with friends!

Potato chips are a crunchy snack made from thin potato slices.

People cook them by deep-frying, baking, or air-frying. Most basic chips are just cooked and salted. However, many brands add flavors like cheese or onion.

In 1954, Joe Murphy made the first seasoned chips. He used cheese and onion flavors. This was a big change for the snack world.

Some chips are made in a special way. These are called kettle chips.

They are cooked in small batches. This makes them thicker with a hard bite. In the past, people used wax paper to make bags. This helped keep the chips fresh and crisp. Now, companies use many tools to make them. They even use large scanners to find burnt chips. This keeps the bags full of good snacks. People around the world call them different names. In the UK, they are called crisps. In the US, they are called chips.

Potato chips are a crunchy snack made from thin slices of potato.

People eat them as snacks, appetizers, or even side dishes. Most basic chips are simply cooked and salted for flavor. However, many varieties use herbs, spices, or cheese to add taste. These snacks are a huge part of the food market in Western countries. In 2005, the global chip market earned US$16.49 billion. This was over one-third of the entire savory snack market that year.

Making chips can happen in several different ways.

Some people deep-fry potato slices in hot oil for a few minutes. Others choose to bake them or use an air fryer.

There are also kettle-cooked chips made in small batches. In this method, slices are rinsed with cold water to remove starch. They are fried at a low temperature and raked to stop sticking. This makes the chips thicker and gives them a "hard-bite" texture.

History shows that people have enjoyed these treats for a long time.

The earliest known recipe appeared in an 1817 book by William Kitchiner. He suggested peeling large potatoes and cutting them into round shavings. In 1825, a British book called them "Pommes de Terre frites." A famous legend says George Crum invented them in 1853 at Moon's Lake House. He reportedly sliced potatoes very thin to please a grumpy customer. While many people still tell this story, historians say it is actually a myth.

Flavoring chips has changed how we eat them today.

For a long time, chips were only salted. This changed in 1954 when Joe "Spud" Murphy and Seamus Burke created cheese and onion chips. This was the first seasoned chip in the world. In the same year, the first barbecue chips appeared in Pennsylvania. Companies like Walkers and Golden Wonder even started "flavor wars" to compete. Today, you can find many unique tastes around the globe.

People use different names for this snack depending on where they live.

In the United States, they are usually called chips. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, they are called crisps. In Australia and New Zealand, people often just say chips. Even the flavors change by region, like ketchup chips in Canada or seaweed flavors in Japan. Whether they are called chips or crisps, these crunchy treats are loved everywhere.

Potato chips are thin slices of potato or deposits of potato paste that are cooked until crunchy.

They are commonly eaten as snacks, appetizers, or side dishes. Most basic versions are simply cooked and salted. However, many varieties use herbs, spices, cheeses, or other additives for flavor. These snacks are a massive part of the global convenience food market. In 2005, the potato chip market generated US$16.49 billion in revenue. This represented 35.5% of the total US$46.1 billion savory snacks market that year.

There are several ways to produce these crunchy snacks.

Many people deep-fry slices in hot oil for several minutes. Others use baking or air frying as a popular alternative.

Some producers use a batch process called kettle-cooking. In this method, workers rinse potato slices with cold water to release starch. The slices are then fried at a low temperature and continuously raked to prevent sticking. This results in thicker chips with a "hard-bite" texture. Industrial production often uses a continuous process where chips run through a vat of hot oil and a conveyor dryer.

Flavoring has evolved significantly over the last century. For a long time, chips remained unseasoned beyond simple salt. This changed in 1954 when Joe "Spud" Murphy and Seamus Burke produced the first seasoned chips. Their creation was the cheese and onion flavor. That same year, the first barbecue-flavored chips appeared in Pennsylvania.

This era sparked "flavor wars" between companies like Walkers, Golden Wonder, and Smith's. Smith's eventually launched salt and vinegar, which helped drive competition for decades.

History provides both real recipes and popular myths regarding this snack. The earliest known recipe is found in William Kitchiner's 1817 book, *The Cook's Oracle*. He instructed readers to cut peeled potatoes into round shavings and fry them in lard. A famous legend claims George Crum invented the chip in 1853 at Moon's Lake House. The story says he sliced potatoes extremely thin to satisfy a customer who disliked thick, soggy fries. While this story is widely cited in media, historians consider it a myth. Evidence shows the customer, Cornelius Vanderbilt, was in Europe at the time, and crispy potatoes were already known in Saratoga.

Packaging innovations were essential for the mass-market success of chips. In the 1920s, an entrepreneur named Laura Scudder changed how chips were stored. Her workers would iron sheets of wax paper into the shape of bags. These bags were filled with chips to keep them fresh and prevent crumbling. The invention of cellophane later worked alongside these methods to allow chips to be sold widely. This helped transition the snack from restaurant fare to a common household item.

Terminology for these snacks varies greatly across the English-speaking world.

In North America, they are called chips, though Canadians may use the term for French fries. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, they are called crisps. In Australia and New Zealand, "chips" often refers to hot, fried potatoes, while "potato chips" refers to the snack.

Even in Bangladesh, they are known as chips or locally as *alu bhaja*. In Brazil, different names exist depending on whether the chip is smooth or has a wafer-like pattern.

Global varieties show how local tastes influence production. In Canada, you might find ketchup, dill pickle, or all-dressed flavors. In Japan, companies like Calbee offer flavors such as nori (seaweed) and salt, or even takoyaki.

In Indonesia, brands like Chitato have released unique flavors like beef rendang and mango sticky rice. These diverse options demonstrate how a simple potato slice can be adapted to fit almost any culture's palate.