When Filbert P. Horsefeathers walks into George Crum's restaurant, he
tells the waitress, "I have a hankering for a heaping helping of
potatoes." Fine cook that he is, George prepares a serving of his most
scrumptious, succulent and sublime potato wedges, only to have Filbert
send them back. "Too thick," he says. So, George makes thinner wedges.
But his picky customer sends them back again. And again. Feeling a bit
mischievous, George decides to use his sharpest knife to cut paper-thin
potato slices, which he fries until they are crackling and then showers
with salt. At last, Filbert is satisfied, proclaiming, "Perfection!"
Which they are. Because, quite by accident, George Crum has invented
potato chips!This fictional picture book tale by Anne Renaud is based on
a real man named George Crum, a cook in Saratoga Springs, New York, in
the 1850s, who is purported to have created the first potato chip in
response to a demanding customer. Included at the back of the book is a
historical note with a list of sources describing the legend and the
remarkable and inspiring story of Crum, a trapper of mixed Native
American and African American descent, who supplied restaurants with
fresh game, then became a chef and successful restauranteur himself.
Felicita Sala's gorgeous illustrations accurately portray the historical
period but with a lighthearted touch. They work beautifully with
Renaud's playful language and quirky characters for a lively and
deliciously fun read-aloud. This book is an excellent choice for lessons
on inventions and inventors, history, or why we eat the foods we do.
