Jan 25, 2010
Q: Who invented hash browns? I have a theory…When my wife and I have steak and cook too many baked potatoes, she refrigerates them overnight, grates them the next morning, and makes very, very good hash browns. Nothing added–just the old baked potatoes fried in a cast iron pan. I heard my late father speak of staying in hotels (he was born in 1902) and the fabulous breakfasts they would have. I’ve wondered for years if during rough times, the big hotels possibly saved the leftover baked potatoes from the night before and made hash browns out of them like she and I do now. I really don’t recall if someone suggested this to me, if I sublimely recall the old folks mentioning it, or if I dreamed it up. I doubt that I will run into anyone who worked in an old hotel in my neighborhood, but will ask any old timers I might run into, and if you know any older hoteliers, please ask them.
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