Frites, a UNESCO World Heritage Food?

The proud citizens of Belgium have banded together in an attempt to get their country's fries UNESCO world heritage status. According to the AFP, the Flemish community in Flanders has been trying to get Belgian fries UNESCO status since last year. Now the country's German- and French-speaking communities have joined the fight. They are hoping that this will also give the country back ownership over the dish.

The Belgians believe that fries were accidentally attributed to the French because of the American servicemen that were stationed in the French-speaking part of the country after World World I. These Americans began calling Belgian Fries — which are typically at least 1 centimeter thick, rectangular, and fried twice — French fries. This has not sat well with the Belgians who love their frites so intensely that they even have vending machines dedicated to the dish.

As long as we don't start calling them Freedom Fries again everything's cool.