Restaurateur still has freedom fries

Four years after the debut of freedom fries on a Beaufort restaurant's menu, the patriotic side order is still stirring up conversation.

"I would never have thought two posters in the window would have done so much. Four years down the road it is still being talked about," said Neal Rowland, 30, the owner of the grill that traded in "french" fries for "freedom" fries in a gesture of support for American troops.

The military history of France:
Gallic Wars – Lost. In a war whose ending foreshadows the next 2,000 years of French history, France is conquered by, of all things, an Italian.

Hundred Years War – Mostly lost, saved at last by a female schizophrenic who inadvertently creates The First Rule of French Warfare: "France's armies are victorious only when not led by a Frenchman."

Italian Wars – Lost. France becomes the first and only country to ever lose two wars when fighting Italians. Wars of Religion – France goes 0-5-4 against the Huguenots

Thirty Years War – France is technically not a participant, but manages to get invaded anyway. Claims a tie on the basis that eventually the other participants started ignoring her.

War of Devolution – Tied. Frenchmen take to wearing red flowerpots as chapeaux.

The Dutch War – Tied.

War of the Augsburg League / King William's War / French and Indian War – Lost, but claimed as a tie. Three ties in a row induces deluded Francophiles the world over to label the period as the height of French military power.

War of the Spanish Succession – Lost. The war also gave the French their first taste of a Marlborough, which they have loved every since. American Revolution – In a move that will become quite familiar to future Americans, France claims a win even though the English colonists saw far more action. This is later known as "de Gaulle Syndrome," and leads to the Second Rule of French Warfare: "France only wins when America does most of the fighting."

French Revolution – Won, primarily due the fact that the opponent was also French.

The Napoleonic Wars – Lost. Temporary victories (remember the First Rule!) due to leadership of a Corsican, who ended up being no match for a British footwear designer.

The Franco-Prussian War – Lost. Germany first plays the role of drunk frat boy to France's ugly girl home alone on a Saturday night.

World War I – Tied and on the way to losing, France is saved by the United States. Thousands of French women find out what it's like to not only sleep with a winner, but one who doesn't call her "Fraulein." Sadly, widespread use of condoms by American forces forestalls any improvement in the French bloodline.

World War II – Lost. Conquered French liberated by the United States and Britain just as they finish learning the Horst Wessel song.

War in Indochina – Lost. French forces plead sickness, take to bed with the Dien Bien Flu.

Algerian Rebellion – Lost. Loss marks the first defeat of a Western army by a Non- Turkic Muslim force since the Crusades, and produces the First Rule of Muslim Warfare: "We can always beat the French." This rule is identical to the First Rules of the Italians, Russians, Germans, English, Dutch, Spanish, Vietnamese and Esquimaux.

War on Terrorism – France, keeping in mind its recent history, surrenders to Germans and Muslims just to be safe. Attempts to surrender to Vietnamese ambassador fail after he takes refuge in a McDonald's. The question for any country silly enough to count on the French should not be "Can we count on the French?" but, rather, "How long until France collapses?"

Good food is, indeed, a gift from above and cooking is one of my major interests in life.

Still, I can’t understand why the French, as well as you Americans always tend to dramatize food and manage to find so much symbolism in different aspects of it.

You’re very much like the French in fact. Hamburgers, fast food and apple pie are seen as ‘expressions’ of The ‘American Way of Life’, just like French people start talking about local cheeses when you ask them about the history and of their respective region.

Let’s compare the attitude of the French and the American in this field to, say, the Spanish. Spain is a country with lots of famous culinary traditions. The Spanish are also known to be proud, sensitive and emotional. But is a dish like the famous Paella a SYMBOL of Spain in the way garlic, snails and frog legs are symbols of France, or McDonald’s is a symbol of The US?. No.

This is no accusation or mockery. I just happen to find the issue quite intriguing.

By the way, I’m Swedish. What things do Americans associate with Sweden?

- The Swedish Chef and Swedish meatballs!

You’re obsessed with food!!!;););)

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