The world of food is one that has, for the most part, but compartmentalised into a variety of cuisines that can be found around the world. When we think of a common dish, such as sushi, we tend to think of it as originating in Japan, or the cheeseburger in the United States. But food doesn’t always have such a common origin; sometimes original recipes go through decades or centuries of change and evolution before they make their way onto our plates.
For those that have ever wondered about the origins of the foods that they eat every day, these are some of the most surprising of them all.
Doughnuts
Doughnuts are among the most enjoyed sweet snack on the planet, and they’ve spread far and wide to just about every convenience store imaginable. Doughnuts are seemingly a product of the modern world, but their true origins are much older. In fact, it was the Ancient Greeks that first invented the doughnut, although back then they were known as loukoumades. They were handed out as prizes to those that won during the Olympic Games, and they’ve remained popular ever since.
Kiwi Fruit
When we think of the kiwi fruit, we almost always imagine New Zealand; the people are known locally as kiwis, after all. But the famous New Zealand fruit isn’t from the island country at all, and its beginnings actually start in China. Once known as Chinese gooseberries, they once grew along the banks of the famous Yangtze River, and were exported through the rest of Asia at the end of the 18th century. This is when they made their way to New Zealand and became the national fruit.
The Apple Pie
The quintessential dessert of the United States, it’s such a famous dish within the country that most people can’t be blamed for not knowing that it didn’t actually originate within the USA. The oldest recipe for Apple Pie actually came from England, where it used a combination of pears, saffron, and figs rather than the apples that are used today. Considering that most of the Europeans that originally went over to the USA came from England, it makes sense that many of its recipes would have begun across the pond.
Croissants
The croissant is always associated with the French, and it’s arguably one of the most common French pastries in the world, found in countless bakeries around the country, perfect for mornings while we play instantly on our favourite games. Croissants, however, did not start off in France, but rather from one of their neighbouring countries Austria, where they were commonly known as kipfel. They were introduced to Paris in the early 1800s, where the people of the city quickly fell in love with them and adopted them as their own.
Pasta
There are few foods that are quite as Italian as pasta. With countless varieties of the delicious food, pasta is a staple in Italy and many counties around the world. But modern, Italian pasta was actually derived from Chinese noodles, which historians believe were brought to Europe by Marco Polo, where they became a favourite among local people.
