The potato chip was reportedly invented by chef George Crum at Moon's Lake House in Saratoga Springs. According to legend, a frustrated customer repeatedly sent back his fried potatoes, complaining they were too thick and soggy. In a fit of pique, Crum sliced the potatoes as thin as possible, fried them until they were brittle, and oversalted them, thinking they would be inedible. To his surprise, the customer loved them. Originally called 'Saratoga Chips,' they remained a local specialty until the 1920s when Herman Lay began mass-marketing them. Today, potato chips are a dominant global snack, produced in massive quantities. The science of the chip involves rapid moisture removal to create the starch-gelatinization that results in the perfect 'crunch.'