We often make assumptions as to where delicacies originated just by their ingredients, looks, and even their name. The situation, however, is not always what it seems. Thanks to centuries of immigration and various global ethnic diasporas, many popular dishes are “reinventions” of more traditional fare. Here are the surprising origins of 4 popular delicacies you thought you knew.
California Rolls
Before we go further into the history of these iconic rolls, it is important to highlight that sushi isn’t consumed in Japan as regularly as one might expect. It is actually considered a meal for special occasions and is eaten relatively rarely. That being said, the California roll is not at all a Japanese delicacy nor was it invented in California. Mind blown yet? It actually originated in Canada!
When Chef Hidekazu Tojo opened his first restaurant in Vancouver, Canada, he found that Japanese hand rolls had not yet entered the palate of Canadians and Americans. Furthermore, he had trouble finding high quality, sushi-grade fish. Another thing that proved challenging was obtaining seaweed. Eating seaweed was taboo in North America and, to some extent, still is today. So Tojo reversed the traditional order of rolling sushi with the seaweed on the outside and opted to hide it inside instead. Thus the California Roll, and its many successor rolls, were born.
French Fries
In all actuality, these popular guys would be called Belgian Fries had the official language of the Belgian Army not been French. The first encounter between the iconic side dish and a group of Americans was during the first World War…in Belgium. But the story of French fries goes much further back.
Of course we all know that fries are made from potatoes. What some don’t know, however, is that potatoes are indigenous to South America where they were cultivated for thousands of years. It would be the Spanish who were responsible for bringing them to Europe. During that time, Belgium was actually under Spanish Habsburg rule, so regional trade between the kingdoms found many-a-potato being served up in the Netherlands (now Holland and Belgium).
The potato quickly became a viable alternative to fish, which was the common food source served fried at the time. It was difficult to catch fish when the rivers froze up, however, so the solution was to cut up potatoes into thin strips and fry them instead. Alas, the world was forever changed.
Fortune Cookies
The last thing eaten whenever you go to any Chinese restaurant in America is, of course, the almighty fortune cookie. Unfortunately, you won’t be finding them on your trip to China. After all, these are purely an American invention. But that is where things get complicated. Indeed, both San Francisco and Los Angeles claim to be the birthplace of these little psychics.
In San Francisco, it is actually Japanese-Americans who are said to have started the idea. In 1914, a Japanese gardener by the name of Makoto Hagiwara passed out cookies with a “thank you” note, for help overcoming a financial hardship, to passersby at the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park.
In Los Angeles, however, Chinese immigrant David Jung is also argued to have created it as free hand outs to the poor who frequented the street where Jung’s shop was located. Each cookie contained a strip with a Biblical scripture on it. The debate of who really started the fortune cookie has even heated up to a mock trial with San Francisco gaining the upper hand. I’d say either argument makes for a compelling story.
In any case, today fortune cookies are mass-produced throughout the United States, with the largest manufacturer being Wonton Food Inc. in Queens, NY. What will your future hold? Perhaps a few fortune cookies with your next plate of Hunan Beef?
Spaghetti & Meatballs
We’ve all experienced the pleasure of indulging in a mountain of spaghetti and meatballs and having to wipe off the marinara sauce from our mouths, faces, and why-did-I-wear-white t-shirts. Indeed, you are guaranteed to see it as a menu item at your local Italian restaurant. However, it will be quite a different story in Italy. Why? Of course spaghetti and meatballs do exist in Italy, but 1) they are eaten separately and 2) the meatballs, known as polpettes, aren’t limited to ground beef but may be made up of complex mixes of chicken, fish, or some other concoction. When made with ingredients other than beef and veal they are known as crocchette. These tend to be smaller than the meatballs we eat here.
The discrepancy begins at the turn of the 20th century (late 1800s – early 1900s) when over four million Italians immigrated to the United States – 85% coming from southern Italy. At this time there were ingredients, such as extra virgin olive oil, that were rarely seen outside of Italy. Canned tomatoes, however, were of abundance in the U.S. and these came to form the basis of the sauce in place of olive oil. It was the availability, or non-availability, of certain ingredients that created the distinction between Italian and Italian-American cuisine.