Fortune Cookies – The Confusing Origin

The simple, crispy treat containing that mysterious message is the perfect end to your Chinese meal. But, just how Chinese is the fortune cookie?

Some claim that the true origin of the little cake with a message is in fact Japanese. Others notice that citizens of China neither eat fortune cookies nor recognise them as authentic Chinese food.

It seems that a Chinese immigrant in California, called Jung, produced cookies in 1918 and placed uplifting biblical messages inside. The cookies were given away to unemployed men, thus feeding the body and the mind. Modern fortune cookies are mass-produced, and contain a greater variety of messages such as philosophy, jokes and even lottery numbers which some people find deeply meaningful.

Whether of Chinese, Japanese or American origins, the little cookie still maintains its mystery.