National Fortune Cookie Day
By Sharon Schweitzer
While these nuggets of enjoyment are most often found at the end of a Chinese meal, they didn’t originate in China. The distinctively folded cookie began in Japan, where elegant desserts and folding techniques are quintessentially Japanese. However, in Japan, the fortune was tucked in the fold on the outside of the cookie. Sometime in the late 1800s, the fortune cookie migrated to the United States and made its transition.
When Japanese immigrants came to California and Hawaii in the late 1800s and early 1900s, it was thought that the fortune cookies of today’s American-Chinese restaurants were based on this notion. Many Americans who dine at Chinese-themed restaurants in the United States receive a fortune cookie after their meal, which makes them identify this practice with Chinese culture.
There appears to be some uncertainty over who invented it. Some historical references suggest it was Makoto Hagiwara who invented the fortune cookie at the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco in 1914. Others believe that David Jung, founder of the Hong Kong Noodle Company, was the first to make fortune cookies in Los Angeles in the 1920s. During World War II, it exploded in popularity, and Americans have never stopped enjoying them.
Today, the majority of fortune cookies are consumed in the United States. “Wonton Food” in New York and “Yang’s Fortunes” in California are the major producers, with “Wonton Food” alone producing over four million each day. Fortune biscuits are prepared in the shape of a round disk. When they are still warm from the oven, a fortune is written on one side of the cookie, which is then folded over and squeezed together. The fortunes are little pieces of paper with advice or aphorisms written on them. They are frequently printed with lucky numbers or Chinese words. “Wanton Food” prints over 15,000 distinct fortunes. Fortune cookies are produced with simple components such as flour, sesame seed oil, butter, vanilla, and sugar and have a bland, mild flavor. The promise of a fortune, however, has endeared these cookies to millions and has kept them tearing them open today and throughout the year.
Photo by www.nationaldaycalendar.com/
Sharon Schweitzer JD, is a diversity and inclusion consultant, cross-cultural trainer, etiquette expert, and the founder of Access to Culture. In addition to her accreditation in intercultural management from the HOFSTEDE Centre, she is an attorney and mediator. Sharon served as a Chinese Ceremonial Dining Etiquette Specialist in the documentary series Confucius was a Foodie, on Nat Geo People. Her Amazon #1 Best Selling book in International Business, Access to Asia: Your Multicultural Business Guide, won a coveted Kirkus Star, and was named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books. She’s a winner of numerous awards, including the British Airways International Trade Award at the Greater Austin Business Awards.
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