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Fortune Cookies Come from … Japan
by
findingDulcinea Staff
The fortune cookie’s origins have been traced to 19th-century Japan. That could be one reason why they aren’t popular in China.
30-Second Summary
They are the quintessential Chinese snack, to everyone but the Chinese. Apparently, the fortune cookie comes from Japan.
So says Yasuko Nakamachi, who first encountered fortune cookies during a trip to the United States two decades ago. She later found that a similar cookie has been made near Kyoto, Japan, for generations.
The observation inspired further research: She spent the next six years combing archive materials to discover the fortune cookie’s true beginnings.
Nakamachi brought to light Japanese drawings from 1878 showing the cookies being made employing a method still used in Japanese bakeries today. The drawings predate the appearance of the cookie in America by several decades. In addition, a number of Japanese-Americans from California have claimed that their families introduced and promoted the cookies in the United States, the International Herald Tribune reported.
The cookies’ renown is such that they have even been credited with helping people win the lottery. On the other hand, some of the more depressing fortunes have led to customer complaints.
One Web site is dedicated to collecting and posting odd fortunes, such as, “The rubber bands are heading in the right direction.”
Fortune cookies can be made at home, although folding the pastry takes some practice. The ingredients are readily available in China, Japan and the United States.
So says Yasuko Nakamachi, who first encountered fortune cookies during a trip to the United States two decades ago. She later found that a similar cookie has been made near Kyoto, Japan, for generations.
The observation inspired further research: She spent the next six years combing archive materials to discover the fortune cookie’s true beginnings.
Nakamachi brought to light Japanese drawings from 1878 showing the cookies being made employing a method still used in Japanese bakeries today. The drawings predate the appearance of the cookie in America by several decades. In addition, a number of Japanese-Americans from California have claimed that their families introduced and promoted the cookies in the United States, the International Herald Tribune reported.
The cookies’ renown is such that they have even been credited with helping people win the lottery. On the other hand, some of the more depressing fortunes have led to customer complaints.
One Web site is dedicated to collecting and posting odd fortunes, such as, “The rubber bands are heading in the right direction.”
Fortune cookies can be made at home, although folding the pastry takes some practice. The ingredients are readily available in China, Japan and the United States.
Headline Links: ‘Solving a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside a cookie’
Fortune cookies, a familiar accompaniment to Chinese cuisine around the world, aren’t to be found in China. Japanese researcher Yasuko Nakamachi spent six years studying the fortune cookie’s history, and argues they are actually from Japan. Larger cousins of the Chinese-American treat have been made around Kyoto for generations. “The Japanese may have invented the fortune cookie. But the Chinese people really explored the potential of the fortune cookie. It's Chinese-American culture. It only happens here, not in China,” said Derek Wong of Wonton Foods, a large New York City-based fortune cookie producer.
Source: International Herald Tribune
Bonnie Tsui visits Wonton Foods, a fortune cookie factory in New York City, for Salon.com and describes the cookie’s place in her own life. Her grandfather worked for years at fortune cookie factories around Manhattan, where he folded each cookie by hand. Today the process is much more streamlined. The United States has about 40 factories where fortune cookies are produced. Wonton Foods receives dozens of inquiries a week from people who want to write fortunes.
Source: Salon.com
A spate of negative fortunes appeared in restaurants last year after customers asked a manufacturer for more predictions and fewer “vague sayings." These new fortunes included, “Perhaps you’ve been focusing too much on yourself,” and “Today is a disastrous day. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.”
Source: The New York Times
The numbers printed at the bottom of Wonton Food fortunes made dozens of people nationwide richer and lottery officials suspicious in 2005. After 110 people came forward with winning numbers following a March Power Ball drawing, questions of a scam or computer glitch were raised. “We expected four or five and ended up with 110. That’s well beyond the realm of normal possibilities,” said Chuck Strutt, executive director of the Multi-State Lottery Association, in an interview with The Washington Post.
Source: The Washington Post (may require free registration)
Related Links: Strange fortunes; fortune cookie recipe
The Web has a repository of odd fortunes, such as, “Your present plants are going to succeed,” “Don’t kiss an elephant on the lips today,” or the slightly creepy, “About time I got out of that cookie.” The Web site accepts submissions.
Source: Weird Fortune Cookies.com
Fortune cookies can be made at home, and several sites have recipes for them. Mixing the ingredients—egg white, vanilla, flour, sugar and salt—is simple, but working with the hot cookie to get the fortune inside is a touch more complicated.
Source: Allrecipes.com
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