A plaque remaining from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem.

Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.

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Entry from October 24, 2019
Freedom Toast (french toast)

France initially did not support the United Stated-initiated the 2003 invasion of Iraq. As a result, some U.S. establishments renamed french fries as “freedom fries” and french toast as “freedom toast.”
 
“And french toast, let’s rename that freedom toast” was printed in the Santa Maria (CA) Times on March 7, 2003. “In a sign of the deepening rift between the United States and the French positions, the cafeteria in the U.S. House changed their offerings from French fries and French toast, to ‘freedom fries’ and ‘freedom toast’” was printed in the South Idaho Press (Burley, ID) on March 12, 2003.
   
World War I-era food renamings include “liberty cabbage” (for sauerkraut), “liberty sandwich” (for hamburger) and “liberty steak” (also for hamburger).
 
     
Wikipedia: Freedom fries
Freedom fries was a politically motivated renaming for French fries in the United States. The term was born in 2003 when the then Republican Chairman of the Committee on House Administration, Bob Ney, renamed the menu item in three Congressional cafeterias in response to France’s opposition to the proposed invasion of Iraq. Although originally supported with several restaurants changing their menus as well, the term fell out of use due to declining support for the Iraq War. Following Ney’s resignation as Chairman in 2006, it was quietly reverted.
(...)
U.S. House adoption
On March 11, 2003, Republican U.S. Representatives Bob Ney and Walter B. Jones directed the three House cafeterias to change all references to French fries and French toast on menus, and replace them with Freedom fries and Freedom toast, respectively. Jones chose to follow Cubbie’s example by circulating a letter to his colleagues advocating their renaming because, he said, “the French were ‘sitting on the sidelines’”. As Ney was Chairman of the United States House Committee on House Administration, the action did not require any vote, as the committee has authority over House cafeterias. According to a statement released by Ney, the renaming was intended to express displeasure with France’s “continued refusal to stand with their U.S. allies”. The statement further read: “This action today is a small but symbolic effort to show the strong displeasure many on Capitol Hill have with our so-called ally, France.” When asked about his view on the change, Jones said it was a “lighthearted gesture”.
 
Newspapers.com
7 March 2003, Santa Maria (CA) Times, “Letters,” pg. A4, cols. 4-5:
That’s right, my fellow citizens, Lady Liberty is French! And so are french fries, let’s rename them freedom fries. And french toast, let’s rename that freedom toast. And French’s mustard, let’s rename that Freedom mustard.
(...)
Orlando Dozier
Santa Maria

     
Newspapers.com
12 March 2003, South Idaho Press (Burley, ID), “U.S. said it would accept a short deadline extension” by Lukas I. Alpert, pg. A9, col. 2:
In a sign of the deepening rift between the United States and the French positions, the cafeteria in the U.S. House changed their offerings from French fries and French toast, to “freedom fries” and “freedom toast.”
   
Newspapers.com
12 March 2003, Pittsburgh (PA) Post-Gazette, “You want U.S.A. fries with that, mon ami?” by Teresa F. Lendeman, pg. 1, col. 6:
A couple of weeks ago, Brian Davis decided he’d heard enough about French opposition to U.S. military action against Iraq.
 
Since then, his Pickle Barrel restaurant on the South Side has stopped serving French toast—it cooks up “freedom” toast instead. Want french fries? Only “U.S.A.” fries sold there.
   
The Pickle Barrel, it turns out, is not alone.
 
Yesterday, cafeterias at the U.S. house of Representatives began selling “freedom fries” and, yes, “freedom toast.” Indeed, resentment over the French government’s opposition to the push toward war has triggered changes to menus across the country.
 
Urban Dictionary
freedom fries
Part of a pathetic attempt to reduce France’s status because it doesn’t support an unjust and imperialistic war. Those who invented this term seem to have forgotten that France gave us the Statue of Liberty and a huge chunk of territory known as the Louisiana Purchase. Not to mention that America would still be a British colony if it weren’t for the French. Come to think of it, the world would be better off if there wasn’t any United States.
french fries -> freedom fries
french toast-> freedom toast
french kiss -> freedom kiss
peking duck -> democracy duck
guinea worm -> liberty worm
turkey -> independence bird
world -> America
inspections -> war
statesmanship -> war
diplomacy -> war
peace -> war

by Not Proud to be an American May 08, 2003
 
Urban Dictionary
Freedom Toast
A Republicanized name for French Toast (which was named after Joseph French, the American chef who invented it, and has nothing to do with France).
I don’t care about your politics, you’re an idiot for calling it “Freedom Toast”!
by unidyne November 25, 2003
 
(Trademark)
Word Mark FREEDOM TOAST
Goods and Services (ABANDONED) IC 025. US 022 039. G & S: Clothing, including pants, jackets, outercoats, shirts, skirts, dresses, suits, jeans, jumpers, overalls, jumpsuits, playsets, shorts, shoes, boots and slippers, thermal underwear, sweaters, vests and all other goods in Class 25
Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING
Serial Number 78225155
Filing Date March 13, 2003
Current Basis 1B
Original Filing Basis 1B
Owner (APPLICANT) Stretch-O-Rama, Inc. CORPORATION NEW YORK 100 West 33rd Street , Room 1110 New York NEW YORK 10001
Attorney of Record Stephen L. Baker
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator DEAD
Abandonment Date March 5, 2004

Posted by Barry Popik
New York CityFood/Drink • Thursday, October 24, 2019 • Permalink


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