8 Foods That Don't Come From Where You Think
7. Crab Rangoon Was Invented In San Francisco
Crab Rangoon is a fried dumpling consisting of crab (obvs) mixed vegetables and cream cheese. It is commonly served in restaurants that feature South East Asian cuisine. According to a 2002 study over 80% of South East Asians are lactose intolerant. Something doesn't add up here. This would be akin to Americans inventing something not deep fried or covered in sugar.
The truth is Crab Rangoon, which also goes by the unappetizing name of 'crab pillows' was invented in San Francisco in 1956 by restaurateur Victor Jules Bergeron Jr AKA Trader Vic. They're sometimes made with puff pastry which is even less authentically Asian but Trader Vic insisted they were based on a Burmese dish, which is highly unlikely. Trader Vic also claims to be the inventor of the Mai Tai but that claim has been disputed by Vic's long time arch rival Don the Beachcomber.