Funky Fortune Cookies

I love Chinese food and I really love my Fortune Cookies. Lately, however, my fortunes have taken a disturbing turn. I have not been receiving actual fortunes, rather proverbs or advice. No don't get me wrong... I know Fortune Cookies are a little cheesy, but I look forward to that cheesy fortune at the end of the meal. Unfortunately now at the local Chinese express take-out, I get dumb sayings like "The best mirror is often a good friend".

Now I ask you is that a Fortune? I think not. I suppose if I really think about it that is a kind of Fortune. Maybe I could think of that a different way. "Your best friend is often in the mirror". Now that is a Fortune. Either way it is a little cryptic but I guess that is the whole charm of the cheesiness of Fortune Cookies.

A little history here is needed I can tell. Many believe that the Fortune cookie is an American invention and there is a debate as to who the inventor is. Makoto Hagiwara of the San Francisco Golden Gate Tea Garden is one (1909), and David Jung the founder of the Hong Kong Noodle Company is the other (1918)inventor of the Fortune Cookie.

In truth the birth of the Fortune Cookie can probably be found in the 13^th or 14^th century when China was occupied by Mongols. Plans were made to drive out the Mongol hordes and this required a bit of planning because the Chinese in Peking did not want the Mongols to be alerted to their plans. It all started from the Mongol's distaste for Lotus Nut Paste. The Chinese found that they could hide their message as to the date and time of their uprising by replacing the yolk with a message placed in the popular Moon Cakes.

Chu Yuan Kang entered the city of Peking disguised as a priest and handed out the Moon Cakes. It was unknown to the Mongols that the details of the uprising were contained in the cakes. The uprising was successful and the basis of the Ming Dynasty was formed. The tradition of giving these cakes to express goodwill or good fortune during celebrations became a popular tradition.

The American incarnation of the Fortune Cookie was born in the harsh labor camps that were assigned to the Chinese working on building the railways in America. The workers had only biscuits to carry their happy messages of good fortune as they celebrated their holidays and special events. Once the railways had been built the Chinese carried on this tradition and it became a Cottage Industry here in the U.S. Today, we simply must have a Fortune Cookie at the end of a Chinese meal.

Fortune Cookies were always made by hand but 1968 brought America the first automated production of cookies. Then the production of Fortune Cookies was passed on to the UK and all across Europe. Fortune Cookies have quietly become big business.

My research has turned up some really amusing types of Fortune Cookies. The first one is Evil Fortune Cookies. The website makes the claim of home of "The Gourmet Flavored Cookie That Tells the Truth". Some of the flavors are; chocolate, strawberry, coconut, graham cracker, cinnamon, and Fruit Punch. They are all different colors that are quite different from the usual color.

MisFortune Cookies are interesting as well. The owner of the company claims that "I've been blessed with ability to see everybody's future, and it ain't pretty". Joe Wang has written a book called "The First Book of Tasteless Fortune Cookie Fortunes" which can be found on Amazon.com. He worked writing fortunes for 36 years and says that all his fortunes had to be approved by the Fortune Approval Committee. His book is a compilation of the ones that were considered tasteless and therefore never used.

There are personalized Gourmet FortuneNut Cookies that are dipped in chocolate and rolled in nuts that Corporations give during holidays or as thank you gifts. If you want something a little more humorous there are the naughty Twisted Fortune Cookies from Prank Place the have fortunes that are adult and risqué. Sounds like a good idea for a Bachelor/Bachlorette party. In the UK there is a company called Wedding Fortune Cookies that offers personalized wedding Fortune Cookies. The fortunes may have the Bride and Grooms wedding date or a thank you from the couple to their guests for attending their happy event.

There is even a site that sells Kosher Fortune Cookies. Kosherman sells every kind of themed fortune cookies in gift packs. Although I could not find them, I remember in Los Angeles about 15 years ago they sold Fortune Bagels. There is even a site that encourages creative writing exercises from your Fortune. The last but not least I have found in my Fortune Cookie Quest is Virtual Fortune Cookies. You can send a friend or family member a themed Virtual Fortune Cookie.

As you can see Fortune Cookies are anything but boring and if you want to really get original there are many recipes for them and you can make them yourself stuffing them with your own private Fortune or message. Now go out and get some Chinese food!