Who Really Invented the Fortune Cookie?
Today I Found Out・2 minutes read
Fortune cookies were invented by Japanese immigrants in America, not in China, and originated as Tsujiura Senbei in Japan. They spread in America after World War II, primarily through Chinese restaurants in California, and were popularized by soldiers returning from the Pacific Theater of Operations.
Insights
- Fortune Cookies were actually invented in Japan, not China, by Japanese immigrants in America, and were initially known as Tsujiura Senbei, a traditional cracker with a fortune inside, sold at shrines and temples.
- The spread of fortune cookies in America was catalyzed by soldiers returning from the Pacific Theater of Operations after World War II, with the first fortune cookie folding machine invented by Edward Louie facilitating mass production, later evolving into fully automated machines by Dr. Yongsik Lee in the 1980s.
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Recent questions
Where were fortune cookies invented?
Fortune cookies were actually invented in Japan by Japanese immigrants in America, not in China.
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