Topical Freeze: Ore-Ida with Jason Mantzoukas

"Topical Freeze: Ore-Ida with Jason Mantzoukas" is Episode 252 of *Doughboys*, hosted by Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger. "Topical Freeze: Ore-Ida with Jason Mantzoukas" was released on May 21, 2020.

## Synopsis

Jason Mantzoukas (*How Did This Get Made?*, *The Good Place*) returns for a Massachusetts deep dive, to discuss the challenges of food allergies, and to review frozen fry brand and Tater Tots inventor Ore-Ida. Plus, the return of beloved quiz segment Pie in this Guy.

## Nick's intro

As the 1917 U.S. entry into World War I whipped citizens into a nationalistic furor, Americans rebranded sauerkraut as 'liberty cabbage,' an attempt to mute the influence of the now-hated Germans. This distinctly American act of combining performative jingoism with the absolute least amount of effort would repeat in the early Oughts as France's opposition to the Iraq War led the U.S.'s loudest, wrongest citizens to rebrand french fries as 'freedom fries'.

But despite these temporary attempts at Euro-erasure, the continent's influence on American cuisine is indelible, and vice versa, with french fries among the most notable examples.

In the 16th century, Spanish explorers returned from the Americas with a new ingredient: the potato; at first, relegated as hog feed by Europeans, but in time recognized as a versatile kitchen staple. French fries were among the new dishes that would come to exist as a result of the transcontinental tuber track, though their disputed origin is credited by different sources to France, Belgium, or Spain.

Brought back to the States in the 1700s, french fries exploded in popularity stateside in the 20th Century, alongside their common accompaniment, the hamburger, and soon home cooks would desire a way to approximate the dish in their kitchens without the messy splatters of deep fat frying.

In 1952, the Briggs\* brothers, formerly corn growers, opened a company offering frozen french-fried potatoes intended for oven reheating, with facilities straddling the border between Oregon and Idaho, giving their company its name from abbreviating both states.

Today, sixty years later, the Briggs\* brothers' brainchild is the dominant frozen-fries brand in the U.S. and the company also credits itself with the creation of a variant beloved in cafeterias and gastropubs alike: the tater tot.

Only time will tell which future war of opportunity will lead to a regionally specific foodstuff getting a clumsy rename, but whatever you call them, french fries are now as American as apple pie (which itself is European in origin).

This week on *Doughboys*, our month of frozen-food reviews, Doughboys **Topical Freeze**, continues as we review frozen-potato brand, Ore-Ida.

[\**their correct name was Griggs.* - ed.]

## Fork rating

* Extra Crispy Fast Food Fries
* Golden Tater Tots
* Shredded Hash Brown Potatoes
 Mike Mitchell
* Golden Crinkles
* Zesty Straight Fries
* Extra Crispy Fast Food Fries
* Golden Steak Fries
 Jason Mantzoukas
* Golden Tater Tots
* Steak Fries

Mitch and Jason also ranked their varieties of Ore-Ida: the lists above are in their order from favorite to least.

## Pie In This Guy 🥧

In this segment, Nick brings a mystery slice of pie and Mitch and the guest crack a series of clues to guess what it is. They have the help of a lifeline: smell test or phone-a-friend.

Two lifelines are offered if needed: Ask Emma and an Eye Test (a close-up photo of the pie).

 Mitch

## #hashtags

* #UnderTeens vs. #OverTeens
* #IDareYouMitch

## The Feedbag

Two questions: what are your opinions of buffet chains? And if you were the CEO of a buffet chain, what would you do to keep your chain alive?

## Related Episodes

* 251. Tina's Burritos
* 252. **Ore-ida**
* 253. Marie Callendar's Meals
* 252. **Ore-Ida**
* DD. Wige Hard
* THON21. Doughathon
* DD. May the Forks Be With You
* DD. The Mitchy Clause
* 419. Zankou Chicken

## Photos (via @doughboyspod)

Golden Tater Tots and Golden CrinklesExtra Crispy Fast Food FriesShredded Hash Brown PotatoesShredded Hash Brown PotatoesShredded Hash Brown Potatoes