After spending some time at pizza shops and bars, I learned that Jojos are potato wedges. Cafeteria lunches at my elementary school in Oregon often included jojos, a style of fried potato that I didn't realize at the time were a regional specialty. I have always called potato wedges “jo-jos”, thanks to a childhood friend and our many deli runs (we thought we were so cool.) The origin of potato wedges is not known, but the availability of commercial pressure fryers in the 1950s ("broaster" fryers were trademarked in 1954) made potato wedges easier to prepare. Potato wedges have also been called “Jo Jo potatoes” since at least 1962. They may be seasoned with salt, pepper and spices prior to cooking, to give a crispy flavored ‘skin’. North Portlanders Want a Contaminated Beach Turned Into a Park. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! "A true jojo is a potato wedge that's been breaded, pressure fried and spiced," says Paul Nicewonger. They were called wedgies until some time in the late 90's. Photo at top: Jojo eating contest at Signal Tree Festival on Aug. 11, 2018. However, the economic downturn caused by COVID-19 continues to makethis a very challenging time. Government Officials Propose to Bury the Toxic Waste Onsite. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Except in Echtenkamp's version, the guy who said "jojo" was a Flavor-Crisp salesman from the Midwest. Our local A&W stand would serve them with the cheeseburgers and root beer straight from the keg. Yes, jojos are cut into thick pickle-shaped spears and seasoned, but it’s in the frying technique where jojos break from the potato wedge pack. For now, just remember that it's not unique to the Northwest, and that if it's not breaded and pressure-fried, it's not a jojo. Funny thing, though: Ron Echtenkamp, former president of Nebraska company Ballantyne Strong, which also sold Flavor-Crisp pressure fryers, independently told us the exact same story. 8 years ago. Potato wedges, also called jojos in some parts of the United States, are a variation of french fries. "A potato will clean up the oil real nice," says Nicewonger. Their vision was to establish the first restaurant in Akron where patrons could satisfy their cravings for pizza and chicken at one place. "We started selling them in 1962," says Echtenkamp. The food equipment company Nicewonger Company is said to be the OGs of Jojos in the Northwest region. 2 years ago. For 40 years, the company Paul's father started, Nicewonger Co., flooded the Portland area with pressure fryers used to make chicken and jojos. "The guy that actually started the jojo by accident was Ed Nelson—that was back in 1961," Echtenkamp tells WW. We'll get more into the local lore as Jojo Month rolls on. It’s what he told me—he just said it’s what came into his head.”. Jo-jos are simply unpeeled potato wedges thrown in the fryer, but the name may have derived from the idea of “junk,” because the potato scraps were considered worthless until restaurateurs … We'll send you a newsletter with what you need to know every week. These famous potato wedges are sold in many places. And then cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and then each half into fourths--creating eight potato wedges per potato. They also were called home fries, wedges, spuds or tater babies — and Shakey’s Pizza trademarked the term “mojo potatoes.” But none of this explains where the word came from. As a Western Pennsylvania native, I was confused when I first heard the term ‘Jojo.’ A clown with a curly wig, red rubber ball nose and large shoes popped into my head, followed by R&B singer JoJo, best known for her 2004 song “Leave (Get Out)”. We called them JoJo’s or JoJo potato wedges. Allow a few minutes for your IP to come to pressure. Alongside Henny Penny, the Broaster Company of Beloit, Wisc., was the one of the first to make a reliable pressure fryer, and so "broasting" became synonymous with the machines. I explained that they were just baked potato wedges. Sean Steele, the manager of the Swan Lake Senior Center (whose lunch menu generated this puzzle) is more direct. oregon calls them potato wedges. Years ago I worked at a … Where it started was they were at the national restaurant show in Chicago. For the most part, the seasonings don't effect reheating, although some, like Parmesan, may make the wedges burn faster. Potato wedges, also called jojos, are a variation of french fries. Brings back memories. Learn how your comment data is processed. Rep. Earl Blumenauer Is All That Stands in the Way of an Applebee’s on Every Portland Corner, Oregon Governor Imposes Statewide “Freeze” to Curb COVID-19 Spread, Restricting Bars and Restaurants to Takeout Service, Prominent Anti-Vaccine Pediatrician Dr. Paul Thomas Has License Suspended by the Oregon Medical Board, Some Oregon Republicans Are Reluctant to Reveal Their Thanksgiving Dinner Plans, The 2022 Governor’s Race is Officially Underway: Dr. Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce. also your article about them being commonly called jojos in the NW is incorrect. Working in small batches, gently place the potato wedges into the hot oil and fry for 7-8 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. • In some regions of the United States, particularly Oregon, Washington, Montana, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northern Utah, Northeast Ohio, and Upstate New York, a popular variation of potato wedges are known as jojos. Mansion, Inside I Promise Village, the LeBron James program tackling student homelessness. Allow the wedges to sit with the coating for 15 minutes. The company no longer makes the fryers, and locally, Nicewonger mostly sells the breading—Henny Penny makes a lot of the pressure fryers now sold locally. I moved back and everyone was calling … This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Jojos are potato wedges fried in the same vat as chicken and usually eaten plain alongside fried chicken, coleslaw, and baked beans. Press MANUAL and adjust the time to 2 minutes on HIGH pressure. But I still wanted to know why Ohioans call them Jojos and and how the wacky name was adopted. Ask a Portlander about jojos, and a lot of them will tell you the same story: It's just a funny name people in the Northwest call a potato wedge. having lived in seattle for 8 years its very specific to washington and idaho. Pressure frying is the only reason fast-food fried chicken exists at all: Colonel Sanders had been experimenting with the process as early as the '40s, when it was a dangerous and improvised method involving the occasional hot-oil explosion. Thoroughly wash potatoes, cut in half, and slice into "There are a lot of places that will call anything a jojo," Nicewonger says. The jojo is intertwined with a technological wonder of the modern age: the pressure fryer. “Potato wedges” has been cited in print since at least 1955 and 1958. Fight me. In the northwest they are usually a stand alone item served with ranch dressing as a dipping sauce. A variation in spelling and pronunciation is mojos, particularly in Western Canada, the Western United States and Canada's Yukon. Jojos are often found at the same deli counters or bars that serve fried chicken, because the pressure fryer is what gives jojos their shatter-crispy outer layer. Jojo enthusiasts claim a distinction. "We'd tell people, you cut the potato into quarters, it takes the same time to cook as a two-and-a-quarter to two-and-a-half pound chicken—you can cook a complete fried meal at the same time.". Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Matthew Korfhage has lived in St. Louis, Chicago, Munich and Bordeaux, but comes from Portland, where he makes guides to the city and writes about food, booze and books. But there's more to it than just frying up a wedge potato in a pan. He likes the Oxford comma but can't use it in the newspaper. Jojo's aren't just potato wedges. I don’t know about you, but I find these Jojo potato wedges so hard to resist. Flavor-Crisp salesman across the country sold the idea of jojos with their pressure fryers. As its name suggests, they are large, often unpeeled wedges of potatoes that are either baked or fried. This patchwork of jojo states allowed any place where jojos were sold to believe they invented the word themselves—Nicewonger told us that perhaps only people in the Northwest used the term. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Calories, carbs, fat, protein, fiber, cholesterol, and more for Potato Wedges (Deli Style, Seasoned - Great Value). Oregon remains obsessed with the jojo—state-by-state slang maps show Oregon Googles the word disproportionately often—but it's not unique, and probably not something that started here. The name. Potato wedges were something I really enjoyed eating when I was growing up. But Nicewonger figures he and his father were responsible for a sizeable chunk of the jojos broasted in this town—including the old Flavor-Crisp pressure fryer they sold to the Reel M Inn. A very important side note: jojos are best with sour cream. Fiesta Pizza and Chicken claims to have introduced Jojos to the 330. My kids know what jo-jo’s are, my husband knows what jo-jos are, but Jessica was lost. Secure the lid of the IP and ensure the valve is set to SEALING. "He was the VIP of the company for a while. Starting in the 1960s, fried potato wedges took that name in some of the Northern states. The need for strong, independent local journalism is more urgent than ever. He called them jojos. What do you mean?” Go straight to recipe. “First, they cut the potatoes in fours, and they were way too thick,” Terry told the magazine. But Flavor-Crisp had a hit on their hands. 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