Or having braces. Everyone I know who got them had that dream at least once : you dream you finaly get to remove them and the second you do so your teeth start falling out.

The reason they are made similarly is basically because it’s a “spoiled” alcoholic fermentation. For instance if you try to make cider and screw up, it transforms into cider vinegar. Rice vinegar comes from sake, etc.

Not really cause then it would be “pommes de la terre”.

For the record, some of us also use the word “patate” which is straight up the equivalent of potato.