Did you know that some of your favourite treats and snacks were created entirely by accident? Yup that's right, your delicious chocolate chip cookies, sandwiches, and Slurpees wouldn't exist if someone out there didn't make some random mistake along the way. Let's explore 30 different foods that were this close to never having been created!
1. Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate chip cookies, now a household staple, were born when Ruth Wakefield, owner of the Toll House Inn, ran out of baker's chocolate. She substituted it with broken pieces of Nestle chocolate, expecting it to melt and absorb into the dough. Instead, the iconic chocolate chip cookie was born!
2. Popsicles
In 1905, 11-year-old Frank Epperson left a mixture of powdered soda, water, and a stirring stick on his porch overnight. It froze, resulting in the first popsicle, a treat he later patented and sold at an amusement park.
Photo by Taylor Heery on Unsplash
3. Potato Chips
In 1853, chef George Crum accidentally created potato chips at Moon's Lake House in Saratoga Springs, New York. Annoyed by a customer who kept sending back his fried potatoes for being too thick, Crum sliced them paper-thin, creating the now-famous potato chip.
Photo by Mustafa Bashari on Unsplash
4. Cornflakes
Cornflakes were invented by John Harvey Kellogg in the late 19th century. Originally attempting to make granola, Kellogg mistakenly flaked wheat berry dough. He repeated the process with corn, leading to the creation of cornflakes.
5. Worcestershire Sauce
This sauce was a fortunate mishap by pharmacists John Wheeley Lea and William Henry Perrins in 1835. Attempting to recreate a sauce from India, their initial result was unpalatable. Forgotten in a cellar, it fermented to perfection and became the beloved Worcestershire sauce.
Photo by Kelsey Todd on Unsplash
6. Ice Cream Cones
At the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, an ice cream vendor ran out of dishes. He teamed up with a waffle vendor who rolled his waffles into cones, creating a handy and edible container for ice cream.
Photo by Courtney Cook on Unsplash
7. Tarte Tatin
This French upside-down apple tart was a serendipitous creation by the Tatin sisters in the 1880s. Trying to salvage a burnt apple pie, they flipped it over, presenting the caramelized apple topping on top, and the tarte tatin was born.
Franck Chicot from Nantes, France on Wikimedia Commons
8. Beer
Beer's origins date back thousands of years, likely discovered when grains got wet, fermented, and someone dared to taste the result. This happy accident led to one of the world's most popular alcoholic beverages.
Photo by Wil Stewart on Unsplash
9. Yogurt
Yogurt likely came into being when herdsmen in Central Asia transported milk in animal stomachs. The natural enzymes caused the milk to ferment, turning it into yogurt, a staple in many cultures today.
Photo by Sara Cervera on Unsplash
10. Brandy
Brandy was originally concentrated from wine for ease of transportation, with the intention to add water back in later. However, sailors discovered that the aged, undiluted version was delicious, leading to the creation of brandy.
Photo by Sean Bernstein on Unsplash
11. Caesar Salad
The Caesar salad was created by restaurateur Caesar Cardini in 1924 in Tijuana, Mexico. Running low on ingredients, Cardini threw together a salad with what he had on hand, leading to this now classic dish.
Photo by Raphael Nogueira on Unsplash
12. Nachos
In 1943, Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya hastily invented nachos when a group of military wives arrived at his restaurant in Mexico, and the chef was nowhere to be found. Anaya cut tortillas into triangles, added cheese and jalapeños, and the rest is history.
Photo by Herson Rodriguez on Unsplash
13. Pink Lemonade
The exact origin of pink lemonade is murky, but one popular story that people love to believe in involves a circus concession stand. Supposedly, performer Henry E. Allott was selling lemonade per usual when he accidentally spilled cinnamon candy into the lemonade, dying the drink to the light pink colour we know and love. Well, the rest is history.
Photo by Kelli Tungay on Unsplash
14. Sandwich
The sandwich is named after the 4th Earl of Sandwich, who in the 18th century asked for meat to be served between slices of bread so he could eat without leaving his gambling table. This convenient eating method became wildly popular.
15. Blue Cheese
Blue cheese's creation dates back to the 7th century in France. Legend has it that a shepherd, distracted by a beautiful woman, left his lunch in a cave. Upon his return, the mold had transformed his cheese into the first blue cheese.
Photo by Jez Timms on Unsplash
16. Sacher Torte
In 1832, Franz Sacher, an apprentice chef in Vienna, was unexpectedly called to create a special dessert for Prince Wenzel von Metternich. Without his head chef, Sacher concocted a dense chocolate cake with apricot jam, unknowingly giving birth to the famous Sacher Torte.
Photo by Luke Wang on Unsplash
17. Coca-Cola
John Pemberton, a pharmacist, was trying to create a headache remedy when he accidentally mixed carbonated water with his syrup, creating the first version of Coca-Cola. Originally marketed as a health tonic, it quickly became a popular soft drink.
Photo by Maximilian Bruck on Unsplash
18. Slurpee
The Slurpee was born when Omar Knedlik's soda fountain broke down in the 1950s. He put some bottles in the freezer to stay cool and found that customers loved the semi-frozen texture, leading to the invention of the Slurpee machine.
Photo by Greg Rosenke on Unsplash
19. Meringue
The light, airy meringue was supposedly invented by a Swiss chef named Gasparini in the 18th century. Legend has it he was experimenting with egg whites and sugar, accidentally discovering the process of creating this fluffy dessert.
Photo by Jess Bailey on Unsplash
20. Buffalo Wings
In 1964, Teressa Bellissimo, owner of the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, invented Buffalo wings. She deep-fried some leftover wings and tossed them in a homemade hot sauce as a late-night snack for her son and his friends.
Photo by Clark Douglas on Unsplash
21. Crepes Suzette
In 1895, a 14-year-old assistant waiter named Henri Charpentier accidentally set fire to a sauce while preparing crepes for the Prince of Wales. The resulting dish, Crepes Suzette, had a delicious caramelized flavor that became instantly popular.
Antilived on Wikimedia Commons
22. Margarine
In 1869, Hippolyte Mège-Mouriès invented margarine by accident while trying to create an artificial butter for Napoleon III, who wanted a cheaper alternative for his army. The invention, originally named "oleomargarine," became widely used as a butter substitute.
23. Soy Sauce
Soy sauce is believed to have originated from a Chinese product called "jiang," a paste of fermented grains. The liquid byproduct of jiang, which was discarded, eventually evolved into what we now know as soy sauce.
Photo by GoodEats YQR on Unsplash
24. Sweet'N Low
In 1957, chemist Ben Eisenstadt accidentally discovered Sweet'N Low. While working on an asthma medication, he spilled a chemical on his hand and licked it off, discovering its intense sweetness.
Raysonho @ Open Grid Scheduler / Grid Engine on Wikimedia Commons
25. French Dressing
The origins of French dressing are unclear, but it's believed to have been a happy accident. Likely, an American cook experimented by adding ketchup to a basic vinaigrette, creating the creamy orange dressing we know today.
26. Graham Crackers
Invented by Sylvester Graham in the 1820s, Graham crackers were created as a part of his diet regimen to suppress 'unpure cravings.' Originally bland, they evolved into the sweet snack beloved today.
Photo by Kayla Speid on Unsplash
27. Chewing Gum
Chewing gum was invented accidentally by Thomas Adams in the 1860s. Initially experimenting with chicle, a natural gum, as a rubber substitute, Adams popped a piece into his mouth out of curiosity. To his surprise, it was enjoyable to chew, leading to the birth of the modern chewing gum industry.
Photo by Gabriel Dalton on Unsplash
28. Tofu
Tofu is believed to have been invented over 2,000 years ago in China, possibly when a cook accidentally curdled soy milk by adding nigari seaweed, leading to the creation of tofu.
Photo by Sherman Kwan on Unsplash
29. Kettle Corn
Kettle corn was likely discovered by colonial settlers who threw leftover corn kernels into lard-filled kettles and accidentally sprinkled them with sugar, resulting in this popular sweet-and-salty snack.
Photo by Hybrid Storytellers on Unsplash
30. Fudge
Fudge is believed to have been created in the late 19th century when a batch of caramels went wrong, hence the term 'fudge.' The result was surprisingly delightful, leading to the creation of this rich, chocolaty treat.
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