Japanese Crackers

WRITTEN BY BRETT A. STARR ON MARCH 31, 2022

In the 1900’s, bakers from Kyoto, Japan Came to California, in the city of San Fran They brought with them a special recipe A folded cracker of made of miso and sesame

The Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park The Benkyodo bakery soon would make its mark The ingredients were changed to vanilla and butter More tasty for Americans as well as others

Japanese bakeries all over California-land Altered their recipes, the flavor not so bland This confectionery treat spread from coast-to-coast The ubiquitous cracker came with a note

Then, after WWII, an executive order from FDR Relocated Japanese-american businesses near and far The Japanese immigrants could not open restaurants So they opened up “Chinese” diners – a type of Renaissance

The Chinese-american menu evolved for everyone Chop suey, chow mein, and egg foo young

But, Americans saw something missing from the meal Dessert was expected as part of the deal

The restaurant owners thought they’d be quite clever A decision that would change Chinese food forever The bakers kept the tradition they used with the vanilla snack

They slipped a hidden message inside a crack

What started as a cracker from Kyoto, Japan Developed in California at the city of San Fran After a Chinese meal, instead of a chocolate goodie Is a folded Pac-man-shaped fortune cookie

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