Trader Vic’s probable inventor of Crab Rangoon
Jennifer 8. Lee, author of the book The Fortune Cookie Chronicles which explores the odd origins of Chinese food in America (hint: it's not very Chinese), has evidence that Crab Rangoon may have been invented by Trader Vic -- although the tiki restaurant chain may have just popularized it.
I did uncover some research on the crab rangoon (essentially cream cheese fried wontons). But I was not able to drive this research home to a level of comfort. I think crab rangoon was popularized by Trader Vic's, a restaurant out in California, during maybe the late 1950s/1960s (?). That is when I first noticed it appearing on menus when I slogged through hundreds of menus at many libraries across the country...
...Someone(sic) the crab rangoon has made the hop over to Chinese restaurants. Chinese restaurants are very good at adapting to their local palates. I see it a lot in the Midwest and South as well. In terms of local Chinese specialties, though I still adore the Philly cheesesteak roll, which looks like an egg roll on the outside but cheesesteak on the inside.
Read the interview at Boston.com | Buy The Fortune Cookie Chronicles at Amazon.com
