PORTLAND NEEDS WILLAMETTE WEEK. Potato wedges, also called jojos, are a variation of french fries. People started grabbing 'em and they wanted to know what they were. Learn how your comment data is processed. Your email address will not be published. As its name suggests, they are large, often unpeeled wedges of potatoes that are either baked or fried. I've lived in the Northwest just about my whole life. 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. He started cutting up potatoes at the restaurant show, threw ’em out for people to have,” Paul says. Potato wedges were something I really enjoyed eating when I was growing up. 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. However, the economic downturn caused by COVID-19 continues to makethis a very challenging time. 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. Allow a few minutes for your IP to come to pressure. Their vision was to establish the first restaurant in Akron where patrons could satisfy their cravings for pizza and chicken at one place. 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. Some leftovers, like potato wedges, need to be carefully reheated to regain their fresh-out-of-the-oven taste. Thoroughly wash potatoes, cut in half, and slice into Once the potatoes have been baked or boiled, allow to cool until able to handle. "A true jojo is a potato wedge that's been breaded, pressure fried and spiced," says Paul Nicewonger. "He was the VIP of the company for a while. Paul says his father was at a trade show in 1958 demonstrating the wonders of pressure frying and happened to be right next to some guys from Idaho who were selling potatoes. “People started grabbing ’em and they wanted to know what they were. Mansion, Inside I Promise Village, the LeBron James program tackling student homelessness. Bake the Jo Jo’s by placing a rimmed baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven. "The guy that actually started the jojo by accident was Ed Nelson—that was back in 1961," Echtenkamp tells WW. “They weren’t done in the middle. Government Officials Propose to Bury the Toxic Waste Onsite. Essentially, it's a pressure cooker filled with hot oil that allows meat to be cooked quickly, at high heat, while still staying juicy. We called them JoJo’s or JoJo potato wedges. 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. Brings back memories. He called them Jojos. Jojo enthusiasts claim a distinction. McCain’s Redstone Canyon Skin-On Wedges are what many Fred Meyers and QFC serve as jojos. In some regions of the United States, potato wedges are known as jojos. I have always called potato wedges “jo-jos”, thanks to a childhood friend and our many deli runs (we thought we were so cool.) Starting in the 1960s, fried potato wedges took that name in some of the Northern states. He likes the Oxford comma but can't use it in the newspaper. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Transfer seasoned potato wedges onto trivet in IP. It's what he told me—he just said it's what came into his head.". Jillian Holness is a recent graduate of Kent State University’s School of Journalism. 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. oregon calls them potato wedges. What do you mean?” Go straight to recipe. Secure the lid of the IP and ensure the valve is set to SEALING. Our local A&W stand would serve them with the cheeseburgers and root beer straight from the keg. 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. Dredge wet potatoes in flour mixture and allow the potatoes wedges to sit for a few minutes before frying. . For 40 years, the company Paul's father started, Nicewonger Co., flooded the Portland area with pressure fryers used to make chicken and jojos. A variation in spelling and pronunciation is mojos, particularly in Western Canada, the Western United States and Canada's Yukon. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. “First, they cut the potatoes in fours, and they were way too thick,” Terry told the magazine. Jo-jos were often served in restaurants that also made a type of chicken which requires a special type of deep-fat fryer. 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Firestone Jr. Eventually, they started cutting them in eights, and they were a whole lot better.”. 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 … Ask the man whose family is responsible for more of them locally than anyone. The brand-name has become genericized today. “Potato wedges” has been cited in print since at least 1955 and 1958. "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.". But Flavor-Crisp had a hit on their hands. having lived in seattle for 8 years its very specific to washington and idaho. We'll get more into the local lore as Jojo Month rolls on. Allow the wedges to sit with the coating for 15 minutes. Nobody knows exactly what happened at that Chicago trade show. Photo by Ashley Kouri. Since the internet doesn’t have all the answers and time machines don’t exist, there’s no 100-percent factual proof of who the inventor of Jojos is. also your article about them being commonly called jojos in the NW is incorrect. It seems that not only Oregonians grew up with them: jojos have been spotted in Ohio, Montana, Washington, and very … In the '80s, every city in Oregon had something called a jojo. 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 the northwest they are usually a stand alone item served with ranch dressing as a dipping sauce. 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)”. 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. Potato wedges, also called jojos in some parts of the United States, are a variation of french fries. ", Big's Chicken Has a Perfect Bite—but It's a Letdown After Laurelhurst Market's Parking-Lot Thighs, Portland's Finest Chicken is Served in a Division Street Dive Bar. Where it started was they were at the national restaurant show in Chicago. They're battered & broasted potato wedges. The guy was from Idaho russet potatoes in the next booth. WW NEEDS YOU. The potatoes are perfectly crisp on the outside, and tender and moist on the inside. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. "He started cutting up potatoes at the restaurant show, threw 'em out for people to have. He called them jojos. I don’t know about you, but I find these Jojo potato wedges so hard to resist. "There are a lot of places that will call anything a jojo," Nicewonger says. Add potato wedges to spices in the bowl and toss to coat. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Great seasonings in this recipe. They may be seasoned with salt, pepper and spices prior to cooking, to give a crispy flavored ‘skin’. • 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. Terry says that it took his dad and Walter a few tries before turning the potatoes into crispy, mouthwatering perfection in 1963. Please support the city we loveby joining Friends of Willamette Week. 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. "We started selling them in 1962," says Echtenkamp. Ron Echtenkamp, former president of Ballantyne Strong, a technology solutions company based in Nebraska, told the exact same story — except former Vice President Ed Nelson created Jojos at a 1961 restaurant show in Chicago. Jojo potatoes are thick wedges, coated in a vaguely Cajun spice mix and usually served with ranch dressing. 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. Head to the diet generator and enter the number of … It’s what he told me—he just said it’s what came into his head.”. He said, 'I can show you how to freshen up that grease… '". The need for strong, independent local journalism is more urgent than ever. The name. But there's more to it than just frying up a wedge potato in a pan. Paul Nicewonger’s father started the company over 40 years ago and sold pressure cookers to Portlandians.Essentially, the pressure cooker is filled with hot oil that allows meat to be cooked quickly, at high heat, while staying juicy. Then it is time to coat the potatoes with the seasoning blend that gives them the flavor reminiscent of Jojo potatoes. The display will reflect ON while the IP comes to pressure. state-by-state slang maps show Oregon Googles the word disproportionately often, experimenting with the process as early as the '40s, Ursula K. Le Guin’s Fans Roasted a Clothing Company on Twitter After It Asked the Late Author to Model Its Leggings, A New England-Inspired Sandwich Shop Has Moved Into the Former Toro Bravo Space, and It’s Serving Portuguese Muffins, OLCC Announces Voluntary Recall of Potentially Harmful Cannabis Vaping Product. At the time, Nicewonger was distributing pressure fryers through the whole Portland metro area, selling the first ones to a chain of drive-in theaters in 1958. "A potato will clean up the oil real nice," says Nicewonger. North Portlanders Want a Contaminated Beach Turned Into a Park. "A true jojo is a potato wedge that's been breaded, pressure fried and spiced," says Paul Nicewonger. Jojos are potato wedges … "A whole lot of people call a potato wedge a jojo in this marketplace. 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. Terry may claim that his dad and Walter are the pioneers of Jojos in northeast Ohio, but the fried potato also has roots in Portland, Oregon. Colonel Sanders, founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken, experimented with the technique as early as the 1940s, when the practice was more dangerous and the occasional hot oil explosion occurred. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! They were called wedgies until some time in the late 90's. I rated 4 stars because I made some changes - we boiled the According to Nicewonger, his father was at a restaurant trade show demonstrating the marvels of pressure-frying chicken, and just so happened to be next to some guys from Idaho who were hawking potatoes. 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. 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. After spending some time at pizza shops and bars, I learned that Jojos are potato wedges. Except in Echtenkamp's version, the guy who said "jojo" was a Flavor-Crisp salesman from the Midwest. 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. I moved back and everyone was calling … My kids know what jo-jo’s are, my husband knows what jo-jos are, but Jessica was lost. The jojo is intertwined with a technological wonder of the modern age: the pressure fryer. 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. As for how the potatoes became known as Jojos, it’s rumored that the name derived from the idea of “junk” because the parts of the potatoes were considered scraps until entrepreneurs realized they could be pressure fried and turned into crispy, delicious gold. We'll send you a newsletter with what you need to know every week. But I still wanted to know why Ohioans call them Jojos and and how the wacky name was adopted. The jojo is intertwined with a technological wonder of the modern age. Jojos are a staple of old-school truck stops and bars all over Oregon and Washington, a word most locals will apply to any old potato cut lengthwise into wedges. Want to use it in a meal plan? Flavor-Crisp salesman across the country sold the idea of jojos with their pressure fryers. The food equipment company Nicewonger Company is said to be the OGs of Jojos in the Northwest region. As for how the potatoes became known as Jojos, it’s rumored that the name derived from the idea of “junk” because the parts of the potatoes were considered scraps until entrepreneurs realized they could be pressure fried and turned into crispy, delicious gold. Its website states that best friends Alfred Ajamie and Walter Abood founded Fiesta Pizza and Chicken in 1963. Flavor-Crisp reps reportedly sold those jojos in Montana, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northeast Ohio, upstate New York and the Pacific Northwest—Echtenkamp says the company even had a trademark on jojos. Calories, carbs, fat, protein, fiber, cholesterol, and more for Potato Wedges (Deli Style, Seasoned - Great Value). A very important side note: jojos are best with sour cream. Photo at top: Jojo eating contest at Signal Tree Festival on Aug. 11, 2018. 8 years ago. The roots of the jojo go deep into the country's industrial midsection. Jojo's aren't just potato wedges. Dredge each potato wedge into the panko mixture making sure to press gently to adhere, then carefully transfer to a clean plate; repeat with the remaining wedges. Drain jo jo potato wedges on paper towels. This term originated in Ohio and is also used in the Pacific Northwest, Iowa, Minnesota, Texas,and other areas. And then cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and then each half into fourths--creating eight potato wedges per potato. Fiesta Pizza and Chicken claims to have introduced Jojos to the 330. As their name suggests, they are wedges of potatoes, often large and unpeeled, that are either baked or fried. The name was invented here and is used only here—a country quirk of our nation's upper-left corner. 2 years ago. These famous potato wedges are sold in many places. I explained that they were just baked potato wedges. "My father actually invented the jojo," Nicewonger says. For the most part, the seasonings don't effect reheating, although some, like Parmesan, may make the wedges burn faster. Every Californian tends to hear the word for the first time when they arrive in Oregon, granting credence to this version of events. Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce. Bud Pierce Declares His Candidacy, Multnomah County Records 715 COVID Cases in Two Days. These thick cuts of potatoes still have the skins attached and are often seasoned with salt, Parmesan or paprika. Years ago I worked at a … 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. “Jo-Jo’s? Potato wedges have also been called “Jo Jo potatoes” since at least 1962. Jojos are potato wedges fried in the same vat as chicken and usually eaten plain alongside fried chicken, coleslaw, and baked beans. 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