Tater tots: Difference between revisions
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'''Tater Tots''', a registered [[trademark]] of [[Ore-Ida]], are fried slices of potatoes. A tater tot is a [[side dish]] made from [[Deep frying|deep-fried]], grated [[potato]]es.<ref name="Ore-Ida Fun Zone - Fun Facts">[http://www.oreida.com/funzone/funfacts.aspx "Ore-Ida Fun Zone{{spaced ndash}} Fun Facts"]. [[Ore-Ida]].</ref> They are widely recognized by their crispness, cylindrical shape, and small size. |
'''Tater Tots''', a registered [[trademark]] of [[Ore-Ida]] (a division of the [[H. J. Heinz Company]], are fried slices of potatoes. A tater tot is a [[side dish]] made from [[Deep frying|deep-fried]], grated [[potato]]es.<ref name="Ore-Ida Fun Zone - Fun Facts">[http://www.oreida.com/funzone/funfacts.aspx "Ore-Ida Fun Zone{{spaced ndash}} Fun Facts"]. [[Ore-Ida]].</ref> They are widely recognized by their crispness, cylindrical shape, and small size. |
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==History== |
==History== |
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Revision as of 15:52, 18 December 2013
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (May 2012) |
   A close-up of a plate of Tater Tots. | |
| Alternative names | Tots, taters, potato goodness, potato rounds |
|---|---|
| Course | Side dish, snack |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Region or state | Ontario, OR |
| Created by | F. Nephi Grigg, and Golden Grigg[1][2][3] (in 1953) |
| Serving temperature | Hot (shipped frozen) |
| Main ingredients | Potato |
| 160 per 86g serving[4] kcal | |
Tater Tots, a registered trademark of Ore-Ida (a division of the H. J. Heinz Company, are fried slices of potatoes. A tater tot is a side dish made from deep-fried, grated potatoes.[1] They are widely recognized by their crispness, cylindrical shape, and small size.
History
The product was created in 1953 when Ore-Ida founders F. Nephi Grigg and Golden Grigg[1][2][3] were trying to figure out what to do with leftover slivers of cut-up potatoes. They chopped up the slivers, added flour and seasoning, then pushed the mash through holes and sliced off pieces of the extruded mixture.[1] The product was first offered in stores in 1956.[citation needed]
Originally, the product was very inexpensive. According to advertising lectures at Iowa State University, people did not buy it at first because there was no perceived value. When the price was raised, people began buying it. Today, Americans consume approximately 70 million pounds per year.[5]
Etymology
"Tater" is slang for potato (origin: 1750–60; America; by apheresis, "tato", and substitution of -er for final -o, "tater"); "Tots" may have been derived from their diminutive size, or because they are often served to children.[6][7] In some regions, the term "tater" is informally dropped, and the snack is simply called "tots"
Usage
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United States
The product is commonly found in the United States in cafeterias and school-lunch counters, as well as the supermarket frozen-food aisle and some fast-food restaurants.
The supermarket chain Safeway Inc. has a generic brand, "Tater Treats". The Sonic Drive-In drive-in fast-food restaurant chain also features "Tater Tots" as a regular menu item, with the option of cheese, chili, or both as toppings; tots with cheese are branded "Cheesy Tots". Cheesy Tots are coin-shaped and, as implied by the name, contain melted cheese as well as potatoes. Several restaurants in the Pacific Northwest offer a nacho version of tots ("totchos"), covered in nacho cheese sauce and toppings.
Some Mexican-style fast-food restaurants offer seasoned Tater Tots: Taco Time and Señor Frog's call them "Mexi-Fries", while Taco Bell used to sell them as "Mexi-Nuggets". Taco Mayo in the Southwest offers round disc-shaped tater tots called "Potato Locos." Taco John's also has coin shaped tots called "Potato Olés".
In some areas of the Northeast, however, they are often called "juliennes" or "potato puffs". In the Midwest states, Tater Tot Hotdish is a very popular soup-based casserole consisting of tater tots, ground beef, and various vegetables.
Rest of the world
In Australia, they are known as "potato gems", "potato royals" or "potato pom-poms" (also used in New Zealand). In the United Kingdom, Ross Frozen Foods once produced "oven crunchies" which are no longer available, but are still produced and sold under the name "potato crunchies" by supermarket chain Morrisons. In Canada, McCain Foods Limited calls its line "Tasti Taters". Cascadian Farm calls its line "Spud Puppies".
See also
References
- ^ a b c d "Ore-Ida Fun Zone – Fun Facts". Ore-Ida.
- ^ a b Lukas, Paul (November 1, 2003). "Mr. Potato Head – A Dirt-Poor Farmer Turned Spud Scraps into Gold". CNN Money. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
- ^ a b "The Francis Nephi ("Neef") Grigg Papers". University of Utah Library Special Collections.
- ^ "Ore-Ida Tater Tots – Nutrition Facts"
- ^ "Culinary Corner: The Fries Have It". WSOC-TV. Retrieved February 8, 2009.
- ^ "Tater". Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.
- ^ "Tot". Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.
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