20 Popular Foods That Were Invented Surprisingly Recently
These Modern Foods Became Instant Classics
With some foods being so synonymous with a certain country, it's hard to imagine that place existing without them. However, a lot of iconic dishes are actually shockingly modern. Here are 20 popular foods that were invented surprisingly recent origins.
1. Ciabatta
Unlike other classic breads like the baguette which have been around for ages, it may surprise you to learn that the ciabatta was invented in the 1980s. It was created by a miller and baker near Venice.
2. Nutella
Ferrero created this popular chocolate-hazelnut spread in 1964 out of necessity. In post-WWII Europe, cocoa was extremely scarce so the bulk of the spread was made with hazelnut and sugar.
3. Pizza Margherita
Despite it's simplicity as dough topped with mozzarella and sauce, it seems no one thought of it before 1889. At least, no one thought to give it a name: it was named in honor of the Queen of Italy, Margherita of Savoy.
4. Buffalo Wings
Can you imagine an America without Buffalo wings? Well, you don't have to go that far back. They were created in Buffalo, New York as recently as 1964.
5. Currywurst
This street food may be a German classic with over 800 million eaten in the country annually, but it only hit the streets of Berlin in 1949. It's attributed to Herta Heuwer who reportedly acquired ketchup and curry powder from British soldiers.
6. Banoffee Pie
This pie made of bananas, toffee, and whipped cream doesn't have the same vintage origins of other British desserts. It was invented in 1971 by the chef of The Hungry Munk Restaurant in Sussex.
7. Chicken Tikka Masala
Chicken tikka masala is a dish full of surprises as it is neither old nor Indian. It was invented by Indian immigrants in Britain in the 1970s.
8. Pad Thai
Pad Thai is the classic dish of Thailand, but it was actually invented in the 1930s. It was created to foster national pride during WWII.
9. Salmon Sushi
While sushi is Japanese, salmon sushi actually originated in Norway in the 1980s. It would've been unheard of in Japan to eat raw salmon at the time.
10. Sticky Toffee Pudding
It took a surprisingly long time for someone to think of drenching sponge cake in toffee sauce and stick it on a dessert menu. It was invented in Britain in the 1970s.
11. Cronut
Somehow, the genius idea of crossing a croissant and a donut only came about in the last 15 years. We wonder what the Viennese pastry chefs of old would've thought about it.
12. Nachos
Despite the simplicity of the dish, nachos were invented surprisingly recently in 1940s. Their origins can be traced back to the small town of Piedras Negras in Northern Mexico.
13. Apple Crumble
The concept of chopping apples and topping them with buttery, sweet oats must be as old as time, right? Wrong! Apple crumble only started gracing dessert tables in the 1940s.
14. Spaghetti Carbonara
You might assume that like other Italian dishes, spaghetti carbonara must be ancient. However, it was only invented in 1944. Its origins can be traced to Rome just after the city of liberated by American troops who likely supplied the bacon.
15. Butter Chicken
Another classic dish that's not so old, butter chicken was created in India in the 1950s. It was invented by chance at a restaurant in Delhi after different leftover sauces were mixed together.
16. Doner Kebab Sandwich
Turkish immigrants in Germany created the doner kebab sandwich, mixing their Eastern flair for flavors with local food stylings. It was invented in the 1960s.
17. General Tso's Chicken
If you thought you were being very authentic when ordering General Tso's Chicken at your local Chinese restaurant, think again. This dish isn't Chinese at all, it's American. What's more, it's incredibly modern, having been invented in the 1970s.
18. Pasta Primavera
Pasta primavera is not the classic Italian dish you thought it was. It was invented in Canada in 1975 and brought over to the US where it exploded in popularity.
Stacy Spensley from San Diego on Wikimedia
19. Molten Chocolate Cake
It's not old but it is French. Molten chocolate cake was invented by chocolatier and chef Jacques Torres in the 1980s.
20. Bubble Tea
The hugely popular "boba" we all know and love has fairly modern origins. It was invented in Taiwan in the 1980s before being brought over the America by immigrants and quickly stealing hearts.
KEEP ON READING
20 Fast Food Items Trying Too Hard To Be Gourmet
