Among other definitions, a “spud”
is a “sharp, narrow spade” used to dig up large rooted plants.
Around the mid-19th century (first documented reference in 1845 in
New Zealand), this implement began lending its name to the things it
was often used to dig up, potatoes. This caught on throughout the
English speaking world and this slang term for a potato is still
common today.
The word “potato” comes from the Haitian word “batata”, which was
their name for a sweet potato. Potatoes were grown about 2000 years
ago in South America. This later came to Spanish as “patata” and
eventually into English as “potato”. Potatoes were first introduced
to Europe through the Spanish.
Exactly who introduced French fries to the world isn’t entirely
known. Among the various theories, historical accounts indicate that
the Belgians were possibly frying up thin strips of potatoes during
the late 17th century. It was very common for the people to fry up
small fish as a staple for their meals. However, when the rivers
froze up thick enough, it was difficult to get fish. Instead of
frying up fish in these times, they would cut up potatoes in long
thin slices, and fry them up as they did the fish. Today, the
Belgians still eat more French fries or Frites than any country in
Europe.
The French originally thought potatoes caused various diseases. In
fact, in 1748, the French Parliament even banned cultivation of
potatoes as they were convinced potatoes caused leprosy. However,
while in prison in Prussia, Antoine-Augustine Parmentier was forced
to cultivate and eat potatoes and found the French notions about the
potato weren’t true.
The French appeared to be the ones that spread fries to America and
Britain and it, in turn, was the Americans, through fast food
chains, that eventually popularly introduced them to the rest of the
non-European world as 'French fries'. Because of this spread by
American fast food chains, in many parts of the non-European world,
'French fries' are more often than not known as 'American fries'.