Many people, including me, believed that fortune cookies were invented in China, but the reality is something else. The next guess I made was the U.S., but I was again wrong; the correct answer is that these tiny desserts originated in Japan and outspread in the U.S. in just a couple of years. People loved their taste, and especially the tiny chit with the message was a new concept.
There are a lot of stories behind its invention, which makes it confusing to understand which was the right one. But, I will tell you about all of them as they are pretty interesting to know.
About Fortune Cookies
So, let us first know about the fortune cookies. They are crunchy, folded, and sugary cookies created by mixing sugar, flour, vanilla, and sesame seed oil. The best and unique thing about these cookies is that they come with a small piece of paper called "fortune," which is said to be a vague prophecy.
This paper comprises phrases or numbers that many people use in the lottery.
The Real Origin of the Fortune Cookie
Let me tell you about the origin of the fortune cookies and the different stories related to them-
· The Mysterious Origin
It is believed that fortune cookies were invented in California, U.S. It is of a mysterious origin because there are no answers on who in California invented them and in which city of California. There is no clue on who invented it, such as if it was 14th-century revolutionists, Chinese-American, or Japanese Americans, the debate is still on as there are no answers to these questions.
You will be amazed to know that in 1983, a mock trial was conducted in San-Francisco's pseudo-legal court of historical review to analyze where the fortune cookies originated, but there was no outcome.
· History #1- A Chinese immigrant, David Jung, the founder of a Hong Kong noodle company in L.A., claims that he originated the fortune cookies in 1918. He says that when he saw the poor people standing outside his shop, he thought of creating these cookies and giving them free to people on the streets.
Furthermore, he said that these encouraging messages were for the unemployed people gathered on the streets so that they could get motivated.
· History #2- Another person who wanted to take recognition for the creation of fortune cookies was Makoto Hagiwara, the designer of the well-known Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. He was a gardener in this park, and the mayor fired him, but later, in 1914, another mayor reinstated him.
To show appreciation to his friends who helped him when he was unemployed, he created the fortune cookie and placed a thank you note in them. He even started distributing these cookies in the garden, and the following year, in 1915, they were displayed in the San-Francisco's World Fair, Panama-Pacific Exhibition.
· History #3- The recent history of fortune cookies is that it was originated in Japan. There is an image from 1873 that depicts fortune cookies being sold on Japanese streets where the vendor is grilling them. They are sold in various districts of Koyo, Japan, but they are even better now as different kinds of flavors have been invented now.
The fortunes were not placed inside the cookie; instead, they were just tucked in the fold on the cookie outside.
Today’s Fortune cookies
After World War II, fortune cookies became even more popular in China. Even Americans love its taste and prefer eating them as desserts. In 1988, new flavors of fortune cookies were invented by Mike Fry, and he named them Fancy Fortune Cookies.
FAQs
Q1. What was the outcome of the disputed claims about the history of Fortune cookies in 1983?
A1. After reviewing all the evidence, the court of historical review stated that Makoto Hagiwara was the fortune cookie’s inventor. But, people thought that this answer was biased and was rejected by the proponents of L.A., so the debate is still on.
Q2. As per history, in which year did the Chinese invent fortune cookies?
A2. In the 1930s, an employee in San Francisco's Kay Heong Noodle Factory made fortune cookies.
Q3. What are the types of fancy fortune cookies available in the market?
A3. There are numerous flavors and colors. You can pick from various options such as milk chocolate dipped, white chocolate dipped, dark chocolate dipped, with tailored messages, and full-color imprinted fortunes.
Q4. Who produces the maximum fortune cookies?
A4. Wonton Food Inc. is located in Queens, N.Y. They create around 4.5 million fortune cookies every day.
Q5. What is the new tradition in the U.S. related to fortune cookies?
A5. Opening the fortune cookies and reading your prognoses aloud has become a practice in the U.S.
