Prompt Cast
The Origins and History of Fortune Cookies
TLDR Fortune cookies, often associated with Chinese restaurants, likely do not originate from China. They were originally called fortune crackers in Japan and were created as appetizers for people waiting in line at Chinese restaurants. The origins of the fortune cookie in America are disputed, with one story suggesting it was created in San Francisco in 1907 and another claiming it was invented in Los Angeles in 1918.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Fortune cookies are not actually baked with the fortune inside, but rather the fortune is inserted after the cookie is baked.
02:11
Fortune cookies are folded into a shape with the fortune inside after being baked as a flat wafer cookie, and although they are traditionally found in Chinese restaurants, they likely do not originate from China.
04:29
Fortune cookies likely do not originate from China, but may have been inspired by moon cakes and cake rolls with messages inside that are traditionally sent out to announce the birth of a child in China.
06:55
Fortune cookies were originally called fortune crackers in Japan and date back to the 1870s.
09:35
The origins of the fortune cookie in America are disputed, with one story suggesting it was created by Makota Hagiwara in San Francisco in 1907, while another story claims it was invented by David Jung in Los Angeles in 1918.
12:09
Fortune cookies were originally created as little appetizers to hand out to people waiting in line at Chinese restaurants, and a mock court ruled in 1983 that San Francisco was the birthplace of the fortune cookie, which was initially made by Japanese bakers until they were forced out of the business during World War II.
14:29
In the mid-90s, the world's largest maker of fortune cookies tried to introduce them to China, but they were deemed "too American" and didn't take off.
Categories:
Society & Culture
