Potato Chips to Ice Cream Cone: 10 foods that were invented by accident and how

The kitchen is an exploration ground where many dishes fail and pass, but at the same time there are accidents that result in iconic creations. Did you know that some of the world’s most beloved foods weren’t carefully planned, but were a result of accidents or crises in the kitchen? This piece of information celebrates some of such foods that were invented by accident.

According to reports, in 1853, chef George Crum at a restaurant in Saratoga Springs, New York, was frustrated by a customer who kept complaining that the fried potatoes were too thick. That is when he sliced potatoes paper-thin and fried them extra crisp. The customer loved them and that's how potato chips were born.

In the 1930s, Ruth Wakefield, a chef, once ran out of baker’s chocolate and added Nestle chocolate chunks to cookie dough, creating the now-famous chocolate chip cookie.

It is said that brothers Dr. John Harvey Kellogg and Will Keith Kellogg accidentally invented cornflakes in the late 1800s, when they left cooked wheat sitting out too long.

Did you know that even the crunchy ice cream cone we enjoy with softy is also an accidental one? It is said that at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, an ice cream vendor reportedly ran out of bowls and that is when he rolled regular waffers into cone shapes to serve customers. His crisis solution became a famous addition to our dessert platter.

The sandwich is named after John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, who requested meat between slices of bread to avoid greasy fingers while gambling. What began as a convenience hack turned into one of the world’s most popular meals.

According to legends, champagne was the result of a secondary fermentation in the bottle, causing bubbles, which was initially considered a defect and gradually became an elite drink of the world.

It is reported that in the 1830s, chemists John Lea and William Perrins attempted to recreate an Indian sauce in England. The result was an awful creation which they stored away and later, due to fermentation it turned out to be the tangy Worcestershire sauce we know today.

According to legend, Tofu was discovered about 2000 years ago by a Chinese cook who accidentally curdled soy milk when he added nigari sea-weed.

It is also reported that nachos were invented in 1943 by Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya in Mexico. It all started with unexpected guests at the closing time and he improvised using tortilla chips with melted cheese and jalapenos, which gradually became the most popular snack item.

From Kala Khatta to Tangy Orange, what we enjoy as a summer delight is actually an accidental dish. In 1905, 11-year-old Frank Epperson left a cup of soda powder and water with a stirring stick outside overnight, which later became the iconic summer delight. Years later, he patented the “Epsicle,” and gradually renamed it the Popsicle.

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