There are several dishes that you have been enjoying, but you might not be aware of their true origins. As such, the unexpected origins of these foods will definitely shock you. Several of the following dishes originated in places you may not associate them with today. However, with the rich interaction of cultures through trade and more across time, we’ve all blended each other’s recipes.
Think hamburgers, buffalo wings, and chocolate chip cookies. While these foods aren’t exactly trendy or “special,” they are super popular. It’s also difficult to imagine a world without them!
Let’s Look At The Origin Of 10 Popular Foods Around The World.
1. Cheesecake
This mouth-watering dessert is thought to have originated in New York. However, you will be surprised to know that it’s the Greeks who first introduced cheesecake to the world.
2. Doughnut
Records date doughnuts back to the mid-19th century when the Dutch were making olykoeks or oily cakes, balls of cake fried in pork fat. Because the center of the cake would not cook as quickly as the outside, the pastries occasionally were stuffed with fruits or nuts, which required no cooking.
3. Hamburger
While the hamburger is an all-American classic, it was actually invented in 13th century central Asia.
Most Beautiful Cakes You Have Ever SeenGenghis Khan and his army carried raw meat scraps under their saddles. The meat would tenderize as they galloped around and fought battles. When hunger hit, the horsemen would grab a patty of meat and eat up. Talk about a perfect road trip snack.
4. Pizza
Greeks and Romans were known to include different ingredients on the top of their flatbread. The modern pizza dates back to 1889 in Naples, Italy. To honor the visit of Queen Margherita di Savoia, a baker named Raffaele Esposito created a special flatbread dish inspired by the newly designed Italian flag colors of red, white, and green. Esposito decorated the top of his flatbread using three ingredients: green basil, white mozzarella, and red tomato. Thus, the Margherita Pizza was born. In 1905, the first modern-day pizzeria was opened in New York City, USA by Gennaro Lombardi.
5. Fortune Cookie
Despite receiving a fortune cookie after a meal at most Chinese restaurants, the fortune cookie originates from Japan and the USA.
6. Caesar Salad
You can find this salad in scores of American restaurants across the country, but its origins fall outside of the country’s borders. Italian-American restaurateur Caesar Cardini developed his recipe for the iconic dish in Tijuana, Mexico, where the salad first gained its acclaimed fame. It’s one of the greatest recipes to come out of the Americas in the past century, that’s for sure. Just make sure to attribute Mexico as the true country where it came from.
15 Weird Food Around The World One Must Know Before One Dies7. Pasta
A favourite of many, pasta is a staple food in Italy. Those who believe that pasta is an Italian dish might be in for a shock, as it originated in China. It was discovered by none other than Marco Polo, the famous Italian explorer!
8. Ice Cream Waffle Scones
The first time ice cream was served in a waffle-like cone was in 1904 at the World’s Fair in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Ernest Hamwi was a pastry vendor situated next to the ice cream booth. The booth ran out of ice cream dishes because customers were not returning them fast enough. Hamwi offered up his waffles as a means to hold the ice cream. Patrons raved about the odd combination of ice cream inside rolled-up waffles. Since then, his waffle cones were baked wafer-thin and ice cream was scooped inside and topped. At Ben and Jerry ice cream parlors, they make their own waffles on-premises.
9. French Fries
We all know the famous story of how Thomas Jefferson introduced French fries to the United States after spending time there as a foreign minister. Evidence shows, however, that the fries actually aren’t from France at all. Belgium appears to be the true home of the fry because of stories surrounding their origins. The Belgians would fry potatoes as a food source to replace fish when rivers froze over in the winter. They’re currently trying to make the fried spud an official cultural icon of Belgium, so we’ll see if their claims prove to be true or not.
There's A Reason To Glance At ‘Food Porn’ That Leave You Hungry10. Fish and Chips
This one is a classic case of misconceptions in food history, as several countries have put their claim on it! The origins of fish and chips are still unclear. It is certainly not British but if reports are to be believed, this dish is either from Belgium or France.
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