Troy Warren for CNT

NATIONAL FORTUNE COOKIE DAY

We see a time when you will enjoy a crunchy, sweet treat on National Fortune Cookie Day! Each year on July 20th, Americans celebrate the cookie that is a traditional part of Chinese take-out.

These crisp, folded cookies have a hint of buttery sweetness. Break them open, and you will find a slip of paper tucked inside with a message on it. The phrase will range from profound words of wisdom or tricky riddles to simple bits of common sense. Some fortunes include quotes from famous philosophers.

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. During World War II, it exploded in popularity, and Americans have never stopped enjoying them.