One of my favorite stories of politics and food involves when a conservative North Carolina Congressman forced the US House of Representatives' cafeteria to change the name of "French fries" to "freedom fries". Why? Because the French government refused to join the US in the debacle of invading Iraq.
When the media asked for a response from the French embassy over renaming the fries, the response was a classicly French drole response. I don't recall the response word-for-word alas, but the response was basically that the US Congress could rename their cafeteria food as they saw fit and besides pomme frites were a Begian invention. The response made the Congressman look like a buffoon.
And indeed the French embassy spokesman was correct: "pomme frites", the fried potatoes much loved by Belgians and Americans alike, are Belgium's national dish. Whole cafés and pomme frites stands are dedicated to preparing and selling pomme frites to a hungry Belgian public. Often the frites come in a cone and are usually eaten with mayonnaise rather than ketchup.
But just remember, like freedom, freedom fries aren't free.
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