Potato Chips

Black history month: potato chips. Love that crispy snack? Legend has it that potato chips were invented by George Crum, an African American who ran a restaurant in Saratoga, NY. And the story went something like this. A fickle unhappy customer complained to George that his potatoes were too thick and not salty enough. George, a bit irritated, went back to his kitchen and sliced some fresh potatoes thinly and added some more salt and fried them. The customer still complained that they still were not thin enough and not salty enough. By now George became angry, and went back and sliced them so thinly and dumbed so much salt on the crispy potatoes, and thought ... that would teach that annoying  customer a lesson, there! To his surprise, the customer loved them. George Crum started then serving Saratoga chips with every meal at his restaurant. He never patented his invention however, but still retired a wealthy man. ... (George was smart on more than one account. Apparently he didn't eat that many of his potato chips: for he was a thin man.) How did I know this? I helped my son do a school project on potato chips last year. But beyond potato chips, African Americans have contributed enormously to our nation, in science, music, sports, in war and in peace and many great writers and poets and so on. I truly believe they have enriched us and made us better. I tip my hat.

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