Keeping a tradition crisp, one fortune cookie at a time

At the end of a meal in many Chinese restaurants across the United States, a fortune cookie arrives with the check. Diners crack it open to find a message inside — lucky numbers, a line of encouragement, or a quiet prediction of what lies ahead.

The slip of paper turns the cookie into something more than dessert, providing a brief pause after a meal where curiosity can linger and conversation begins.

Surprisingly, fortune cookies are not originally Chinese. They can be traced to Japanese-style crackers brought to the US by immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, according to the History Channel. After World War II, Chinese entrepreneurs in the US took over production and popularized the cookies in Chinese restaurants.

"Though it's an American invention, although it's a San Francisco invention … we the Chinese, (are) the ones who perfected it. We promote it throughout the world. So (when) everybody thinks of fortune cookies, they think of Chinese food," said Kevin Chan, owner of San Francisco's Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory.

For Chan, his Chinese identity is deeply embedded in his work.

"I think fortune cookies are not just cookies. It's also a meditation. It's also a symbol. And also, it represents Chinese. And I feel very proud because I'm a Chinese-American, and we work very hard, and we need to be well-recognized. Because everybody has fortune cookies, they have to come to me. So that's kind of my success, being a fortune cookie maker."

Outside his store, a line stretches down the narrow alley, drawing people of all ages and backgrounds.

According to Chan, the shop has been operating for over six decades. He affectionately refers to it as a "little museum" and an "institution".

Inside, ceramic figurines of deities, laughing Buddhas and weathered human figures sit shoulder to shoulder, their expressions suspended somewhere between solemnity and play. Some appear traditional, others whimsical — like characters from different stories gathered on a single shelf, offering glimpses of old Chinese folklore. Surrounding them are murals of the store, along with numerous awards, old photographs and other mementos collected over the years.

Workers sit beside large, old-fashioned machines, crafting each fortune cookie by folding wafers fresh off the press, slipping in a small message, and shaping it into its signature form. The shop offers a variety of flavors and colors, some decorated with icing.

While many fortune cookies are now mass-produced by machines, the shop continues to make them by hand.

Pass the legacy

The factory produces up to 10,000 cookies a day, Chan said, adding that he hopes to pass this legacy on to future generations.

"I want to keep the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie alive because I want the next generation to see what's going on. I want them to see the history and how fortune cookies were made by hand before," he added.

For many in the US, fortune cookies are more than just a sweet treat.

Stephanie Froebel from Buffalo, New York state, told China Daily:"Growing up, we'd have nights where my mom would come, bring home some local Chinese food from the stores, and then you have the fortune cookie at the end, and then that's like the finishing of the meal. You read each other's fortunes to the family, and then just have that moment together."

For Brazilian Alexandre Pranckevicius, who now lives in Miami, Florida, the fortune itself is "always an exciting part".

"I'm always an advocate for a food experience where you're able to have more than just experiencing the food itself and there's an extra aspect to it," he said.

Chan said the shop also offers custom-made fortune cookies, allowing customers to insert their own messages or even a ring, calling the experience "very romantic" as it has created many special memories for visitors.

"Fortune cookies gave me a lot about my life, because this motivated me to see different culture (s), different people from around the world. They come here and share their experience, share their thoughts. Every time a customer comes from a different country, I feel very happy, because that's the only time I see them."

Chelsea Ge contributed to this story.

bilinlin@chinadailyusa.com