The Origins of the Frozen Drumstick & Nutty Buddy

I've long been a fan of the Nutty Buddy, an ice cream cone, commonly filled with vanilla ice cream, where the top is covered in chocolate and nuts. When the ice cream truck showed up in the neighborhood, I might choose a Nutty Buddy. When I was growing up, there was only one kind of Nutty Buddy, but today, there are multiple variations, and they are also sometimes known by different names. 

Recently, I read on Facebook a claim about the alleged invention of the Nutty Buddy. As I did some additional brief searching online, I quickly learned that most sources claim that the Nutty Buddy was invented by the Seymour Ice Cream Company, located in Dorchester, Massachusetts, and that it was named after Charles "Buddy" Seymour, who was the treasurer of the company in the mid-1960s. Many sources also claimed that the term "Drumstick" came after the Nutty Buddy, and referred to the same ice cream treat. Other sources though have alleged there are slight differences between the two items.

However, after I conducted more in-depth research, I learned the truth. First, the existence of the Drumstick predated the Nutty Buddy, by about twenty years. Second, although the Nutty Buddy existed at least as early as 1950, it didn't show up in Massachusetts until the 1960s. Third, the evidence makes it clear that the Nutty Buddy was not invented by the Seymour Ice Cream Company.  

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The Drumstick, usually referred to at the time as the "Frozen Drumstick," was created by I.C. Parker, an advertising or sales manager for the Pangburn Ice Cream & Candy Co. in Fort Worth, Texas. Pangburn was established around 1912, and was a pioneer ice cream factory in Texas, and five years later, they began manufacturing candy as well.

The Manufacturing Confectioner (July 1931) noted that I.C. Parker had received a trademark for "Drumstick," whose use had been claimed since March 11, 1931. The Official Gazette of the U.S. Patent Office (August 1931) also mentioned the "Frozen Drumstick," under #13,379, and that it was "For Ice Cream Product Consisting of an Ice Cream Cone Dipped in Candy Coating, Etc."

What was the Drumstick? The Abilene Daily Reporter (TX), April 13, 1931, mentioned that Pangburn had recently added a novelty feature to their offerings, the “Drumstick.” It was “a chocolate nut sundae in cone form—ice cream center with firm chocolate coat thickly covered with nut particles.” It then noted, “When slipped from its tidy Pangburn paper cover, the ‘drumstick’ looks mightily like a crispy browned chicken leg.” The article continued, “The novelty was introduced a few week ago in Fort Worth and is now on the wholesale ice cream delivery routes in Abilene.” 

The description is basically the same as the Nutty Buddy, so it's easy to understand the ancestry of the Nutty Buddy. 

The first advertisement, pictured above, for the Frozen Drumstick appeared in the Abilene Daily Reporter (TX), April 16, 1931. It noted that it was a "Chocolate Nut Sundae" and sold for 5 cents. Keep the picture in your mind as when ads for the Nutty Buddy arise, twenty years later, its picture is basically the same.    

Although the Frozen Drumstick began in Texas, only four months later, it started to appear in other states, starting with California. The News-Pilot (CA), August 7, 1931, published an ad for "Gibson’s Frozen Drumstick" which was “An Ice Cream Cone filled with Gibson’s Ice Cream and topped with nuts." It was also stated that it was “The latest and most delicious 5c seller on the market.”  The next day, another ad in the News-Pilot (CA), August 8, 1931, further described Gibson’s Frozen Drumstick as “An Ice Cream Cone filled with Gibson’s Ice Cream, Dipped in Chocolate, and topped with nuts.” 

The Contra Costa Times (CA), September 17, 1931, presented an ad for MacMarr Stores, which mentioned Frozen Drumsticks, described as “The newest ice cream confection—a hand rolled chocolate cone, heaping full of Dairyland Ice Cream, dipped in chocolate and crushed peanuts. Looks just like a chicken or turkey leg, and it costs only 5c.”

During the rest of the 1930s, there were ads mentioning the Frozen Drumstick in Alabama, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Interestingly, there weren't any references in any of the New England states. In fact, there wasn't a mention of the Frozen Drumstick in Massachusetts for at least 50 years.

The Santa Ana Daily Register (CA), February 9, 1939, published an ad for Sontag Drug Stores, noting that the Frozen Drumstick was “An ice cream nut sundae in a cone…ice cream, chocolate, nuts and cake! Something entirely new in a frozen confection.” This is the only ad to mention it contained cake, although other ads sometimes mentioned it was served in a "cake cone."

The Tri-Country Forum (MN), March 7, 1940, had an ad for Land O’Lakes Frozen Drumsticks, noting it was “A sugar cake cone cooked in chocolate—filled with Ice Cream—covered with chocolate and rolled in toasted nuts.”

The Ice Cream Field (May 1950), posted an ad for the Frozen Drumstick, with a picture of the drumstick. 

The Nutty Buddy finally appeared, nearly 20 years after the Frozen Drumstick! The Ice Cream Field, October 1950, published an ad for Flare-Tops, which sold Cake Cones and Cake Cups, and had 14 bakeries across the country, including the Eastern Baking Co., in Chelsea, MA, and the Maryland Baking Co. in Baltimore, MD. One of their products was the “Nutty-Buddy,” pictured above, looking exactly like a Frozen Drumstick. It appears this was just a different name for the Drumstick. 

The Statesman Journal (OR), April 6, 1951, had an ad for Piggly Wiggly, offering a “Nutty Buddy Ice Cream Cone” for 10 cents.

The Oregon Daily Journal (OR), May 18, 1951, published the above ad for Arctic Ice Cream, noting the Nutty Buddy, “A Chocolate Nut Sundae.” It comes “In an old Fashioned Honey Roll Sugar Cone” which is “Filled with Arctic Ice Cream Chocolate Coated Rolled in Nuts.” And the picture once again resembles those of the Frozen Drumstick.  

The Lewistown Daily New (Montana), August 2, 1951, had an ad for the Lewistown Market which stocked “Nutty Buddies.”

The Free-Lance Star (VA), October 17, 1951, had an almost exact ad to the previous Arctic Ice Cream ad in Oregon. 

The Town Talk (LA), April 25, 1952, published the above ad for a new store, Cree-Mee, which offered a "Nutty Buddy,” described as "A chocolate nut sundae in a crisp honey roll sugar cone." During the rest of the 1950s, other ads for the Nutty Buddy appeared in Alaska, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia. No ads for the Nutty Buddy appeared in Massachusetts during the 1950s.

On June 27, 1958, the Maryland Baking Company, of Baltimore, MD, filed with the U.S. Patent Office for the "Nutty Buddy, for Ice Cream Cones." They noted that the first use of the term was on or about October 6, 1949. This could not have occurred if the Seymour Ice Cream Company had actually invented the Nutty Buddy.

When did the Nutty Buddy first appear in Massachusetts? Not until 1962!

The North Adams Transcript, June 14, 1962, published an ad for Sealtest Ice Cream and their “Sealtest Nutty Buddy.” The ad noted, “All the goodness of a chocolate nut sundae in a crisp honey roll cone!”  

There was another ad in The Republican, October 28, 1965, for Cumberland Farms. It offered a 6-pack of Nutty Buddy, on sale for only 49 cents, 10 cents less than its regular price of 59 cents. There would be a number of additional Cumberland ads during the later 1960s mentioning the Nutty Buddy. 

There weren't any articles or advertisements during the 1960s which connected Seymour Ice Cream Company and the Nutty Buddy. Their alleged invention of this ice cream treat appears to be merely a myth.

The blog of the Dorchester Historical Society had some interesting information about this issue, including a statement by Paul Samuelian, whose family started Seymour Ice Cream. Paul claimed "Some where in the 1960’s the “Nutty Buddy” was born named after Buddy Seymour who was my Great Uncle Mike’s son." Clearly this claim is false as the Nutty Buddy has been around since at least 1950. And there is no other evidence that indicates Seymour invented it.  

However, the blog also had a line which might be more indicative of the truth. It stated, "The Seymours Ice Cream Company had the sole franchise in New England to manufacture the Nutty Buddy product from the Sweetheart Cup Company." This indicates Seymour didn't invent the Nutty Buddy but instead received a franchise from another company to produce them in New England. If Seymour had invented it, they would have been the ones offering franchises to other companies. This certainly makes much more sense when we consider the history of the Nutty Buddy. 

In addition, I previously mentioned that the Maryland Baking Company had filed with the U.S. Patent Office for the Nutty Buddy. The Maryland Baking Company was connected to the Sweetheart Cup Company, so they obviously could have sold franchises to ice cream companies to produce the Nutty Buddy. And that is most likely what happened with the Seymour Ice Cream Company. They did not invent the Nutty Buddy.

Do you enjoy the Nutty Buddy?

The Origins of American Goulash

Is American Goulash the same as American Chop Suey? What are the origins of American Goulash?

While researching my article, The Origins of American Chop Suey, and after it was published, there were those, especially in the Midwest, who stated that the dish of American Chop Suey was known to them as American Goulash, or simply goulash. The three main basics of this dish include ground beef, macaroni and tomato sauce, with some variation of other ingredients. 

Obviously, American Goulash owes its ancestry to Hungarian Goulash, known in Hungary as gulyás, but the two dishes are very different in a number of ways, especially the modern version of American Goulash. The Hungarian version is more of a soup or stew, consisting of meat and vegetables with a variety of seasonings, including paprika. The modern versions of American Goulash are more like a casserole, and often do not include paprika.  

Most sources claim that the earliest printed recipe for American Goulash was from 1914, but my own research has uncovered recipes from as early as 1909. In addition, the early recipes for this dish are very different from the modern version, slowly evolving over time to its present form. It's also interesting to note that this dish was known all across the country, and wasn't limited to just the midwest. It might currently be thought of as more of a regional dish, but it certainly didn't begin that way. 

The first printed recipe I found for American Goulash was from California in 1909. The Morning Union (CA), January 16, 1909, printed the recipe above, and as can be seen, it called for a sirloin steak, cubed, rather than the usual ground beef. The recipe also called for carrots, rice, tomatoes, celery and optionally an onion. No paprika was included. This certainly is not like the modern version of goulash. 

I'll also note that the first recipes for American Chop Suey, which differed significantly from Chinese Chop Suey, were from 1908. One of those recipes called for ground beef, spaghetti, and a can of tomatoes, a clear ancestor to the modern versions. 

However, later in 1909, a different American Goulash recipe appeared. First appearing in the San Antonio Light (TX), June 13, 1909, the recipe also appeared in the Boston Herald (MA), July 2, 1909, Star-Gazette (NY), August 2, 1909, Evening Chronicle (NC), August 7, 1909, Cincinnati Post (OH), August 17, 1909, and the Jersey Journal (NJ), August 5, 1909. This recipe called for "beef cakes" (basically ground beef) and spaghetti, but no tomatoes or paprika. Again, this recipe doesn't reflect the modern versions of goulash. We also see that American Goulash was known throughout the country, from Texas to Massachusetts, New York to North Carolina, Ohio to New Jersey.

In 1910, the first recipe for American Chop Suey appeared which used ground beef, tomatoes and macaroni appeared. When would the first recipes of American Goulash ask for macaroni?

In Mexican Cooking: The Flavor of the 20th Century (1911), there was a recipe for American Goulash, called for cubed beef, chili powder, bacon, onions and garlic, but no pasta or tomatoes. 

The Denver Post (CO), June 19, 1913, offered another American Goulash recipe, although it called for mutton rather than beef. It also called for rice and tomatoes, as well as carrots, and optionally onions. Again, this is not a similar dish to the modern version.

As I mentioned previously, most sources claim the first printed recipe for American Goulash was in 1914, from The Woman's Educational Club Cook Book (1914) by the Women's Educational Club of Ohio. And as I've shown, this claim isn't true as there are other recipe extending back to 1909. This cookbook had two recipes, one for Goulash and one for American Goulash. The two recipes are fairly similar, although I'll note neither recipe called for pasta. The American Goulash recipe also called for paprika, as well as tabasco.

By 1914, recipes for American Chop Suey were published in Illinois, Nebraska, Indiana, New Jersey and California which all called for the use of ground beef, macaroni, and tomatoes. American Goulash recipes still hadn't called for the use of these three ingredients, so it's also clear that American Chop Suey was the ancestor to modern versions of American Goulash. 

The Omaha Daily News (NE), May 23, 1916, printed this recipe, which called for veal rather than beef, and didn't include tomatoes, rice, or pasta. 

The Boston Journal (MA), June 27, 1917, had a recipe which also didn't include tomatoes, rice, or pasta, but it did call for paprika. 

Another recipe was presented in the Rutland Daily Herald (VT), August 1, 1917, as well as the Middletown Times-Press (NY), August 1, 1917. This recipe called for both chopped pork and beef, as well as rice and spaghetti, plus strained, stemmed tomatoes (or tomato soup). 

A number of newspapers would print restaurant ads, which offered American Goulash dishes. The San Antonio Light (TX), October 6, 1917, had an ad offering American Goulash with "Paprica" for 25 cents. The Portage Daily Register (WI), November 28, 1917, noted a restaurant's Thanksgiving  menu with American Goulash as one of the dishes. The Times (LA), August 17, 1918, had a cafeteria ad with American Goulash as a lunch entree. The St. Louis Stars & Times (MO), October 17, 1918, printed a supermarket ad offering American Goulash with vegetables for 25 cents. 

The Billings Gazette (MT), November 13, 1918, noted a luncheon special of American Goulash with macaroni. This was the first reference I found mentioning macaroni in connection with American Goulash. The Billings Gazette (MN), October 23, 1920, had another restaurant ad, offering American Goulash with Spatzen. 

The Fresno Morning Republican (CA), February 25, 1920, printed a restaurant ad, with menu items including American Goulash tagliarini. The Detroit Free Press (MI), April 2, 1912, presented a restaurant ad with American Goulash for 35 cents. The Oroville Daily Register (CA), July 30, 1921, had a restaurant ad with American Goulash Canape, while their August 5, 1921 issue had a similar ad but with American Goulash with Stars and the September 14, 1921 issue had American Goulash with Home Made Noodles. 

The Kansas City Star (MO), August 25, 1921, had a brief article, with a recipe, on Hungarian goulash. This makes an interesting comparison to the American Goulash variations I've already presented.  

The Portland Evening Express (ME), February 3, 1923, presented recipes for American Goulash and American Chop Suey, which make for an excellent comparison. As you see, the Goulash recipe didn't include the use of pasta, while the Chop Suey recipe called for spaghetti or macaroni. The Goulash recipe also called for kidney beans, although that was the first use of that ingredient I'd seen in these recipes. The American Chop Suey recipe is basically like the modern version, but the Goulash recipe still hasn't reached that point in its evolution.  

The Buffalo News (NY), March 14, 1923, and the Long Beach Telegram (CA), April 20, 1923, offered another recipe, which also included the use of kidney beans. It didn't call for the use of spaghetti or macaroni, but stated you could add rice to vary the flavor. 

The San Antonio Light (TX), March 23, 1923, and Oregonian (OR), July 8, 1923, printed a different American Goulash recipe. Once again, the recipe does not call for rice, spaghetti or macaroni, or even tomatoes. 

The Evening Star (D.C.), October 22, 1924, presented another recipe for American Goulash, similar to some prior ones, which included the use of kidney beans, tomatoes, cayenne and pepper, but not the use of spaghetti or macaroni. 

A similar recipe was then presented in the Richmond Times Dispatch (VA), March 5, 1926. Still no spaghetti or macaroni.

Pasta! The Coos Bay Times (OR), June 21, 1928, published this recipe and it included the use of spaghetti and tomato soup. This is the most similar recipe to the modern version, except for the use of spaghetti rather than macaroni.  

But the use of spaghetti was far from the norm at this point. The Daily News (PA), November 21, 1928, offered this recipe, which also called for potatoes and tomato soup but no pasta. 

Again, kidney beans were called for in this recipe in La Belle Star (MO), February 1, 1929. And there was no spaghetti or macaroni.

A similar recipe was in the Brooklyn Times Union (NY), February 5, 1929, and again, no spaghetti or macaroni was used.

Another similar recipe in the Boston Globe (MA), February 8, 1930. We also see from the last few recipes that American Goulash was known in Massachusetts, New York, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Oregon. It certainly wasn't a regional dish. 

The Record (NJ), March 10, 1932, offered a slightly different recipe, which called for spaghetti. It also called for carrots, onions, and the use of Worcestershire sauce. 

Macaroni! The Democrat & Chronicle (NY), April 6, 1936, presented the first American Goulash recipe that used macaroni. This was 26 years after the first recipe for American Chop Suey used macaroni. However, this Goulash recipe didn't use tomatoes, making a creamy sauce with butter, flour and milk. This recipe was reprinted in the Abilene Daily Reporter (TX), April 17, 1936, The La Belle Star (MO), May 15, 1936, The Commercial Appeal (TN), May 29, 1936, The Missourian (MO), June 18, 1936, and The Morning Call (PA), October 16, 1936. 

The Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph (PA), November 15, 1938, also published a recipe calling for macaroni, but also using tomatoes. This is essentially the modern version, that which is also known as American Chop Suey. 

During the 1940s, recipes for American Goulash continued the use of ground beef, tomatoes, and macaroni, although still with some variation. Some recipes still called for kidney beans, while others offered the option of rice instead of macaroni. Recipes also continued to be published all across the U.S,, including as far as Hawaii. There was no indication in any of these recipes that American Goulash was a regional dish. For unknown reasons, over time, the term "American Goulash" became much more commonly used in the Midwest, although its origins extended all across the country. 

American Chop Suey, the version with ground beef, tomato sauce and macaroni, clearly predated, by over 25 years, that of American Goulash. Goulash also appears to have followed a similar path to American Chop Suey, from first, no use of rice or pasta, to second, the use of rice, and finally, the use of pasta. However, it took Goulash much longer to make that evolution than it did American Chop Suey.

The Origins of ABC: Almond Boneless Chicken

ABC. Almond Boneless Chicken. It's a hugely popular dish in Michigan and Ohio, some claiming its origin is in one of those states. The dish commonly consists of breaded/battered fried chicken over leaves of iceberg lettuce and topped by gravy and almonds. 

Although I was aware of this dish, It was recently brought to the forefront of my attention by Tina Caputo, a food & wine writer, who penned an article in 2013, The Mystery of Almond Boneless Chicken. A former Michigan resident, Tina had difficulty finding ABC when she moved to San Francisco. She decided to seek out the origins of this dish, to ascertain whether it originated in Michigan or not. What she found, tended to indicate the dish might have originated in New York, and definitely was not limited to only Michigan. Tina's article also provided a recipe for ABC, something you could prepare at home.

The article intrigued me, but I wanted to see more specifics, more details and dates of the presence of this dish across the U.S. and in Canada. When I did some of my own initial research, I found a number of other articles about the origins of ABC, yet they relied more on vague allegations than actually providing documentation and evidence. Some sources claimed the dish originated in Ohio, possibly as far back as the 1920s. However, most of the articles still felt the definitive origin was unknown. 

I conducted my own research, delving primarily through newspaper archives but also accessing some older books, seeking what evidence I could find about the origins of ABC. This wasn't easy as there were numerous search terms that had to be considered. To start, there were the easy terms, like almond chicken and almond boneless chicken, although these dishes were also known as Hong Yon Gai Kow and Hung Yuen Guy Ding. This dish was also known as Boneless Chicken a la Canton, Fried Chicken a la Canton, or simply Chicken a la Canton.

ABC was often referred to as Wor Sue Gai, but it could also be found under a dozen alternate spellings, including: War Shu Gai, Wor Shu Gai, Wor Shui Gai, War Shui Gai, War Su Gai, Wor Su Gai, War Sui Gai, Wor Sui Gai, War Sue Gai, Warr Shui Gai, Warr Sue Gai, and Warr Sui Gai. I might have even missed an alternate spelling.

I have found that the ancestors of ABC extend back to at least 1904, but the term Wor Sue Gai didn't make an appearance until about 1950. With additional research, I've traced ABC back to at least 1936. I haven't definitively determined the inventor of ABC, but have found more evidence to better clarify the issue, with Canada as the front runner for the originator of this dish. More research is warranted, but what I've found so far is quite interesting.

Almond Chicken is a dish that apparently originated in either the U.S. or Canada, a dish created by Chinese restaurants to appeal to their non-Chinese customers. The first reference I found to "almond chicken," from a Chinese restaurant, was a New York periodical from 1904. The Rural New Yorker, September 10, 1904, presented a menu from an unnamed Chinese restaurant in New York. 

The menu (part of which is presented above) listed Almond Chicken for $1 (粒 雞 仁 杏 = Lì jī rén xìng--which roughly translates as "small pieces of almond chicken"). The dish was not described any further, and it seems doubtful that the chicken was breaded and fried. It's most likely it was tiny pieces of wok-fried chicken, and probably was accompanied by vegetables, and maybe a gravy or sauce. 

The next reference to almond chicken was also in 1904, but from a Canadian source. The Province, (Vancouver, B.C.), November 30, 1904, detailed a Chinese banquet, where it was said, “The menu was purely Chinese, and was most palatable.” As the menu included Chop Suey, then it actually consisted of both Chinese and Chinese-American dishes. One of the courses included Hong Yon Gai Kow, almond chicken. This is a different term from the one used in the previous New York reference, but seems likely it was a similar dish. 

There was a brief mention of "almond chicken" in the Democrat and Chronicle (NY), February 5, 1905, in an article on Chinese New Year.

In the San Francisco Chronicle, March 31, 1912, there was a lengthy article about a great banquet held at the Chinese Delmonico’s in New York, although the exact name of the restaurant was not provided. This banquet was the annual feast of the Hip Sings Tong, and there were about 350 guests. The feast, which lasted from 3pm-5am, consisted of 88 courses, only 50 which the writer claimed could be easily translated into English. One of the dishes was Fried Chicken with Almonds & Bamboo Shoots. There's no further description, so it's unknown again whether the chicken was battered and fried, or simply fried, such as in a wok. However, it still seems likely it wasn't breaded or battered at this point.

The Springfield Republican (MA), September 27, 1913, in an article about unusual New York restaurant, mentioned that there was a Chinese restaurant, located in the Upper Forties, where the proprietor Bun Jan offered “almond chicken.” The Evening Times (RI), November 20, 1914, also noted a New York Chinese restaurant with “almond chicken.”

One of the first Chinese cookbooks in English presented a recipe for Almond Chicken (Hung Yuen Guy Ding), offering the first fuller description of this dish. The Chinese Cook Book by Shiu Wong Chan (1917), gave a recipe (pictured above) which included boneless chicken, almonds, onions, water chestnuts, mushrooms, and celery. The chicken was not battered, but it was fried and braised, and once complete, it was all topped with a Chinese gravy. So, this dish gets close to ABC, but hadn't evolved to that final point quite yet. This recipe would be reprinted in at least a few newspapers, including in Kansas and California.

Another recipe (pictured above) was printed in the Knoxville Sentinel (TN), April 8, 1921, where the writer had visited Chinese restaurants in Chicago. His recipe was Hung Yuen Guy Ding (almond chicken) and the ingredients included blanched almonds, onions, water chestnuts, mushrooms, celery, and boneless chicken. Again, the chicken was fried and braised, but not breaded or battered, and a cream sauce was used as well.  This recipe was reprinted in newspapers across the country, in places including Arizona, Connecticut, Missouri, Delaware, Iowa, Nebraska, New York, Minnesota, Montana, Indiana, Ohio, and Iowa.

The Lincoln Journal Star (NE), May 23, 1921, also presented a recipe for Hung Yuen Guy Ding (almond chicken) and it was slightly different from the Knoxville recipe. Instead of a cream sauce, the recipe called for chicken gravy thickening. This recipe was reprinted in newspapers in Kentucky, Alabama, Illinois, and Texas.

As we see, this basic version of almond chicken was known throughout the country, although it still hadn't evolved into today's version of ABC. This version is a clear ancestor to the modern ABC dish, but who decided to bread or batter the chicken for this dish?

Another alternate term for almond chicken. The Trenton Evening Times (NJ), January 1, 1922, published a restaurant ad for a Chinese/American spot, where their special New Year’s eve dinner included “Boneless Chicken a la Canton.” Based on other references, this was simply a different term for almond chicken.

One more recipe. The Evening Sun (MD), December 1, 1922, offered a ecipe for Hung Yuen Guy Ding  (almond chicken.), which was similar to the prior recipes but the gravy was made with a gravy thickened with cornstarch. This recipe was reprinted in newspapers in Ohio, California, Nebraska, New Jersey, Indiana, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Montana, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and New York.

The Knoxville News-Sentinel (TN), January 3, 1936, printed a recipe for Hung Yuen Guy Ding, (almond chicken), with similar ingredients to the previous recipes, but a variation on the gravy. This recipe's Chinese gravy was made with chicken soup thickened with cornstarch and flavored with chop suey sauce and black pepper. The article also noted that, “This dish is also called chicken a la Canton.”

In Chinatown Inside Out, by Leong Gor Yun (1936), there's a discussion of Chinatown in San Francisco and there is a mention of almond chicken (Hong-yun-guy-ding).

The oldest reference to ABC is in Canada! The Calgary Herald (Alberta, Canada), December 31, 1936, printed the above advertisement, referencing "Breaded Almond Chicken." This is the first time that the dish definitively mentioned breaded chicken, one of the primary components of ABC. Previously, although the chicken in the dish was often fried, it was not breaded of battered. The ad doesn't mention whether gravy was atop this dish or not, but it seems likely when other almond chicken dishes often had gravy. 

The Canton Chop Suey Parlor opened in 1931, but its unknown whether their Breaded Almond Chicken was on their menu at the start, or rather it was added at a later date. So, ABC is at least 86 years old, and possibly five years older, dependent on when the Canton started offering the dish. 

More Canadian evidence. The Vancouver Sun (Vancouver, Canada), May 17, 1937, discussed an upcoming event, the Chinese Evening, which was to be held at the W.K. Oriental Garden restaurant, which opened in 1935. The menu included "breaded almond chicken," and it's interesting to note that it appeared at a fair distance, about 600 miles, from Calgary. How many other Chinese-Canadian restaurants in the western regions of Canada also served this dish?

The San Francisco Chronicle (CA), March 2, 1941, briefly mentioned a local restaurant that served a "delicious" dish of “Fried Chicken a la Canton.”

Wor Sui Gai finally appears, in Texas! In the San Antonio Light (TX), March 7, 1950, there was a discussion of a Chinese New Year's celebration in San Antonio.  One dish served for the event was “wor sui gai (boneless chicken with some kind of heavenly sauce rich with Chinese spices).” The description doesn't mention though whether the chicken was breaded or battered or not. 

"Wor sui gai" roughly translates as "wok-fireed chicken," so the name doesn't necessitate breaded or battered chicken. The chicken could have been prepared similar to the previous almond chicken dishes. However, if the chicken was breaded or battered, this would be the first example of ABC, and in Texas of all places. In addition, why did this new name arise for almond chicken?

This also points out the issue that even if you see Wor Sui Gai, or its alternate spellings, on a restaurant menu, that doesn't necessarily mean it refers to a dish like modern ABC. Unless the item is described in detail on the menu, you cannot be sure of the exact composition of the dish. The dish might have been fried and braised, but still not breaded or battered. 

More Canadian references. The Province (B.C., Canada), December 9, 1950, printed a restaurant ad for Ming's, which offers "Breaded Almond Chicken." Then, the Vancouver News-Herald (Vancouver, B.C.), October 7, 1952, offered a recipe for "Almond Boneless Chicken.” This recipe is basically similar to the modern version. The recipe stated, “Remove all the bones from a spring chicken. Season the meat with salt, pepper, garlic juice, and wine. First dip meat in beaten egg and roll in dry flour. Fry in deep hot peanut oil. Sprinkle chopped almond on top after fried meat is chopped into cubes.” There wasn't any mention of a gravy. Did they simply omit to mention the gravy? 

Although some feel Michigan or Ohio might have originated ABC, I haven't found any newspaper evidence to support those allegations. However, I've found multiple references to ABC in western Canada, from 1936-1952, so it's a front runner for the originator of this dish. It was first known as "breaded almond chicken," and not Wor Sue Gai, or any of its alternate spellings. Maybe it should have become known as BAC, rather than ABC.   

More Wor Sue Gai mentions. The Lima News (OH), December 14, 1952,September 13, 1953, September 22, 1957, September 21, 1958, and January 18, 1959, also presented an ad for the Nanking Restaurant, offering ”Wor Sue Gai,” although without any description.

Almond Duck? The Herald News (NJ), July 2, 1953, printed a restaurant ad, noting an intriguing variation of Wor Sue Gai, with duck. The ad stated, “We suggest for the hot weather: Wor Sue Opp-Braised Duckling with Crushed Almonds and Spiced Sauce.” Interestingly, the duck was braised, and not said to be breaded or battered. 

Today, ABC gets all of the attention but maybe ABD, Almond Boneless Duck, needs to become more popular. I definitely would love to see this duck dish. I suspect it can be found at a Chinese restaurant somewhere in the country, and I'll have to seek it out. 

The Capital Times (WI), February 23, 1955: also presented a Restaurant ad that stated, “Question: Do You Prefer Wor-Sue-Opp or Sue-Pi-Quet? Don’t know? Aren’t Sure? Or even if you do know, we suggest you attend our Formal Opening.” They asked people to join them to“Sample Unusual Chinese Dishes.” So, the duck version was likely not well known at this time, but it was available in disparate areas, from New Jersey to Wisconsin. And even Florida. The Miami News (FL), August 23, 1955, noted, “Wor Sue Op…It’s Cantonese for Fu Manchu’s pressed duck.”

The Springfield Union (MA), February 10, 1956, mentioned a Chinese New Year celebration at a local restaurant which served Chicken a la Canton. The Evening Sun (MD), April 18, 1956, had a restaurant ad for Wor Shu Gai, stating it was "A Cantonese delicacy of Braised Breast of Chicken with Almonds." Braised, not breaded or battered, which is evidence that not all Wor Sue Gai yet consisted of breaded or battered chicken. The Cincinnati Post (OH), July 7, 1956, briefly mentioned War Sue Gai. The Providence Journal (RI), April 23, 1960, printed a restaurant ad that mentioned, “Try Our Delicious Wor Sue Gai.”

Where's the almonds? The Cincinnati Enquirer (OH), January 28, 1961, offered a restaurant review, which stated, “War Sue Gai..half boneless chicken, dipped in egg batter, fried crisp with peanut oil, each piece cut evenly, and topped with caraway seeds and special gravy...” Caraway seeds instead of almonds? A curious difference.

The Keyport Weekly (NJ), June 29, 1961, had a restaurant ad noting, “We specialize in Wor Shu Gau…(Braised boneless fresh chicken with a typical Chinese 5-flavor sauce and crushed almonds on top).” I note again that the chicken was braised here, and not fried as ABC is supposed to be made today. This raises an issue about Wor Shu Gai, and its alternate spellings, that not all of these dishes are the same. Some may include fried, battered chicken but others may not. So, Wor Shu Gai is not always the same dish as ABC. Just because it appears on a menu doesn't mean it is what you think it might be. 

In a restaurant review in The Indianapolis Star (IN), December 3, 1961, there's a mention of Wor Sue Gai, “a new pressed chicken item on the menu."The Seattle Daily Times (WA), June 21, 1962, noted a new Chinese restaurant that served “almond boneless chicken.”

Back in Canada, the Calgary Albertan (Alberta, Canada), June 30, 1962, printed a estaurant ad which referenced “Chicken with Almond—Boneless Chicken Fried in Batter with Crushed Almond.” 

The El Paso Herald-Post (TX), January 24, 1963, also had a restaurant ad, which referred to Chicken a la Canton. The Courier-Journal (KY). January 13, 1964, published a restaurant ad which stated,  “Wor Sue Gai—Selected spring chicken—boned, pressed into water chestnut flour and braised to crispness.”

More Duck! The Asbury Park Press (NJ), March 6, 1964, stated, “Wor su opp (pressed duck), a concoction of breaded spice duckling pressed into water chestnuts, then crisply fried and served with a tangy sauce and crushed almonds.”

The Hartford Courant (CT), May 28, 1964, also had a restaurant advertisement, “Try something new. Wor Shui Gai. Boneless Chicken with Mushrooms, Bamboo Shoots, Waterchestnuts, Crushed Almonds and Chinese Vegetables.” The News-Messenger (OH), February 16, 1965, had a restaurant ad which mentioned “Wor Sue Gai (Chicken)” and “Wor Sue Duck.”

The Chicago Daily News (IL), January 21, 1967, in a restaurant review, noted one dish is “war sui gai (pressed chicken with almonds and ham sauce).” The Edmonton Journal (Alberta, Canada), June 30, 1967, published a restaurant ad mentioning “Crushed Almond Boneless Chicken.”

In the Columbus Evening Dispatch (OH), August 3, 1967, there was an article about the Tai Wan Restaurant which serves War Su Gai, “consisting of boned chicken dipped into a batter and then deep fat fried. It is served over fried rice with a not-too-thick sauce or gravy.” Readers were also seeking a recipe for this dish. We note that this dish was not served over lettuce as many modern ABC dishes. The Columbus Evening Dispatch (OH), September 7, 1967, then presented a recipe from the Tai Wan Restaurant for War Sue Gai, slightly adapted for home cooks. Interestingly, the recipe called for the dish to be served atop shredded lettuce.

The Lima News (OH), September 28, 1967, detailed an anniversary dinner at Chan’s Chinese restaurant, where one dish was “war su gai—steam chicken, boned, dipped in water chestnut flour, deep fried and topped with Chinese vegetables.”

The 1970s would see numerous mentions of Wor Sue Gai, in all its different spellings, and even the Duck version received a few mentions. Many of the references were brief, only the name provided ion a menu or in a restaurant ad. The few descriptions though made it clear that this dish still had its variations across the country. 

For example, the Irving Daily News (TX), February 22, 1976, printed a restaurant ad that noted,“Boneless Chicken Royal. White Meat Chicken, Fried Golden Brown in our Special Batter, Mounted on Chinese Vegetable, Covered with Our Cantonese Mushroom Sauce.” In New York’s Chinese Restaurants by Stan Miller (1977), it noted, “Wor Shu Gai . Lightly breaded and crisply fried succulent chicken is presented on a bed of finely chopped lettuce . The thin brown sauce is slightly sweet ; a very good dish.” The Cincinnati Enquirer (OH), October 12, 1978, in a restaurant review, stated, “war sue gai, a double breast of chicken delicately deep-fried, cut on the bias and served on a bed of bean sprouts with a delicious special sauce.” 

In the News-Journal (OH), November 30, 1978, a restaurant review mentioned, “One of the best appetizers I’ve ever eaten, the wor sue gai consisted of white meat of chicken dipped in batter and fried. Green onions topped it off with a bit of gravy.” While the Courier-Journal (KY), November 16, 1979,  in a restaurant review, mentioned their love for War Sui Gai: “The breast of chicken was particularly juicy and flavorful—though the crust was crisp and hot from the fryer. The mushroom-sauce topping, with chopped green onions and almond slivers, seemed fresh from the cook’s hand.”

During the 1970s and 1980s, Wor Sue Gai, and its various alternative names, could be found in Chinese restaurants all across the country, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma. Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin. It seems likely, with the wide extent of the known states, that a number of other states offered this dish as well.

Today, Michigan and Ohio might be the centers for ABC, with many of their Chinese restaurants offering the dish, while it may be difficult to find it in other parts of the country. Even though it was known, and existed in many other states during the 1970s and 1980s, it apparently fell out of favor in a number of these places. Thus, as its not readily available in numerous states, people tend to think the dish never existed in their region, although it did a number of years ago.

Canada, as far back at least as 1936, might have been the first to create a modern version of ABC, with breaded chicken, although more research is certainly warranted. If other states want to claim to be the originator, they need to offer concrete evidence, rather than hearsay and old family stories. 

(This article has been revised & expanded as of November 16, 2022.)

New Sampan Article: The First Chinese Restaurants in Springfield

"The most interesting feature of Chinese life to me was that on board their boats, or sampans, as they are called....Upon these boats live whole families of three and even four generations."

--The Fall River Daily Herald, November 20, 1888

For about two yearsr, I've been contributing to Sampan, the only bilingual Chinese-English newspaper in New England. It's published in print as well as online, available in both Chinese and English. I've previously written over 40 articles for Sampan, and you can find links here. 

My newest article, The First Chinese Restaurants in Springfield, is now available in the new issue of Sampan. Springfield was one of the first cities in Massachusetts where Chinese arrived in the 1840s, primarily fueled by the desire for education. In 1901, the first Chinese restaurant in Springfield opened: the Canton, and by 1915, there would be at least 8 Chinese restaurants in the city. They were largely successful, but faced some backlash around 1917 when I union tried to prevent other Chinese restaurants from opening. Check out my article for the full story on these restaurants.

What is a "sampan?" The newspaper's site states, "A sampan is a popular river boat in traditional China. This small but useful vessel, by transporting cargo from large boats to the village ports, creates a channel of communication among villages." And like that type of boat, Sampan delivers news and information all across New England, and "acts a bridge between Asian American community organizations and individuals in the Greater Boston area."

Sampan, which was founded in 1972, is published by the nonprofit Asian American Civic Association, "The newspaper covers topics that are usually overlooked by the mainstream press, such as key immigration legislation, civil rights, housing, education, day-care services and union activities. These issues are crucial to the well-being of Asian immigrants, refugees, low-income families as well as individuals who are not proficient in the English language."

There is plenty of interest in Sampan which will appeal to all types of readers, from restaurant reviews to historical articles, from vital news stories to travel items. In these current days when racism and prejudice against Asians and their restaurants is high, it's more important than ever that accurate information about the Asian community is disseminated and promoted. We need to combat the irrational prejudices that some possess, and support our Asian communities just as we would support any other element of our overall community. We are all important aspects of a whole, and we need to stand together.

Support Sampan!

New Sampan Article: Yung Wing & the Earliest Chinese Students in Massachusetts

"The most interesting feature of Chinese life to me was that on board their boats, or sampans, as they are called....Upon these boats live whole families of three and even four generations."

--The Fall River Daily Herald, November 20, 1888

For about two yearsr, I've been contributing to Sampan, the only bilingual Chinese-English newspaper in New England. It's published in print as well as online, available in both Chinese and English. I've previously written over 40 articles for Sampan, and you can find links here. 

My newest article, Yung Wing & the Earliest Chinese Students in Massachusetts, is now available in the new issue of Sampan. Springfield was one of the first cities in Massachusetts where Chinese arrived in the 1840s, primarily fueled by the desire for education. In 1847, three Chinese boys, 12 to 15 years old, with him, named Wong Shing, Yung Wing, and Wong Fun (also known as Wong Afeen), came to Springfield for education and they were the first Chinese boys ever allowed to study abroad. One of those students, Yung Wing, would go on to assist other Chinese students obtain an education in the area. Check out my article for the full inspiring story on Yung Wing.. 

What is a "sampan?" The newspaper's site states, "A sampan is a popular river boat in traditional China. This small but useful vessel, by transporting cargo from large boats to the village ports, creates a channel of communication among villages." And like that type of boat, Sampan delivers news and information all across New England, and "acts a bridge between Asian American community organizations and individuals in the Greater Boston area."

Sampan, which was founded in 1972, is published by the nonprofit Asian American Civic Association, "The newspaper covers topics that are usually overlooked by the mainstream press, such as key immigration legislation, civil rights, housing, education, day-care services and union activities. These issues are crucial to the well-being of Asian immigrants, refugees, low-income families as well as individuals who are not proficient in the English language."

There is plenty of interest in Sampan which will appeal to all types of readers, from restaurant reviews to historical articles, from vital news stories to travel items. In these current days when racism and prejudice against Asians and their restaurants is high, it's more important than ever that accurate information about the Asian community is disseminated and promoted. We need to combat the irrational prejudices that some possess, and support our Asian communities just as we would support any other element of our overall community. We are all important aspects of a whole, and we need to stand together.

Support Sampan!

New Sampan Article: Origins of the St. Paul Sandwich

(This photo of a St. Paul sandwich is courtesy of Mark, aka GastroPublico)

"The most interesting feature of Chinese life to me was that on board their boats, or sampans, as they are called....Upon these boats live whole families of three and even four generations."

--The Fall River Daily Herald, November 20, 1888

For about two yearsr, I've been contributing to Sampan, the only bilingual Chinese-English newspaper in New England. It's published in print as well as online, available in both Chinese and English. I've previously written over 40 articles for Sampan, and you can find links here. 

My newest article, Origins of the St. Paul Sandwich, is now available in the new issue of Sampan. A St. Paul sandwich is basically "... an egg foo young patty, slice of tomato, pickle and iceberg lettuce sandwiched between two slices of mayonnaise-laden white bread...” The origins of this sandwich are murky, but the most commonly shared legend is that it was invented by Steven Yuen at Park Chop Suey in St. Louis, possibly in the 1970s. It’s further alleged that Yuen named the sandwich after his hometown of St. Paul, Minnesota. However, is this legend true, and if so, is there proof? Check out my article for the answers. 

What is a "sampan?" The newspaper's site states, "A sampan is a popular river boat in traditional China. This small but useful vessel, by transporting cargo from large boats to the village ports, creates a channel of communication among villages." And like that type of boat, Sampan delivers news and information all across New England, and "acts a bridge between Asian American community organizations and individuals in the Greater Boston area."

Sampan, which was founded in 1972, is published by the nonprofit Asian American Civic Association, "The newspaper covers topics that are usually overlooked by the mainstream press, such as key immigration legislation, civil rights, housing, education, day-care services and union activities. These issues are crucial to the well-being of Asian immigrants, refugees, low-income families as well as individuals who are not proficient in the English language."

There is plenty of interest in Sampan which will appeal to all types of readers, from restaurant reviews to historical articles, from vital news stories to travel items. In these current days when racism and prejudice against Asians and their restaurants is high, it's more important than ever that accurate information about the Asian community is disseminated and promoted. We need to combat the irrational prejudices that some possess, and support our Asian communities just as we would support any other element of our overall community. We are all important aspects of a whole, and we need to stand together.

Support Sampan!

New Sampan Article: Origins of Crab Rangoon

"The most interesting feature of Chinese life to me was that on board their boats, or sampans, as they are called....Upon these boats live whole families of three and even four generations."

--The Fall River Daily Herald, November 20, 1888

For almost two yearsr, I've been contributing to Sampan, the only bilingual Chinese-English newspaper in New England. It is published in print as well as online, available in both Chinese and English. I've previously written thirty articles for Sampan, and you can find links here. 

My newest article, Origins of Crab Rangoon, is now available in the new issue of Sampan. At most Chinese-American restaurants, you can find Crab Rangoons and they are a hugely popular item. Also known as Crab Puffs, Crab Pillows, and Cheese Wontons, these are essentially fried wontons stuffed with cream cheese and imitation crab (or sometimes real crab). They are crunchy and creamy, and they are prepared nearly the same at every restaurant. What is the history of crab rangoon and who invented it? Check out my article for the answers. 

What is a "sampan?" The newspaper's site states, "A sampan is a popular river boat in traditional China. This small but useful vessel, by transporting cargo from large boats to the village ports, creates a channel of communication among villages." And like that type of boat, Sampan delivers news and information all across New England, and "acts a bridge between Asian American community organizations and individuals in the Greater Boston area."

Sampan, which was founded in 1972, is published by the nonprofit Asian American Civic Association, "The newspaper covers topics that are usually overlooked by the mainstream press, such as key immigration legislation, civil rights, housing, education, day-care services and union activities. These issues are crucial to the well-being of Asian immigrants, refugees, low-income families as well as individuals who are not proficient in the English language."

There is plenty of interest in Sampan which will appeal to all types of readers, from restaurant reviews to historical articles, from vital news stories to travel items. In these current days when racism and prejudice against Asians and their restaurants is high, it's more important than ever that accurate information about the Asian community is disseminated and promoted. We need to combat the irrational prejudices that some possess, and support our Asian communities just as we would support any other element of our overall community. We are all important aspects of a whole, and we need to stand together.

Support Sampan!   

New Sampan Article: Centuries Ago, Many in Boston Saw Chinese Only Through The Lens of Exploitation

The most interesting feature of Chinese life to me was that on board their boats, or sampans, as they are called....Upon these boats live whole families of three and even four generations."

--The Fall River Daily Herald, November 20, 1888

For over a year, I've been contributing to Sampan, the only bilingual Chinese-English newspaper in New England. It is published in print as well as online, available in both Chinese and English. I've previously written thirty articles for Sampan, and you can find links here. 

My newest article, Centuries Ago, Many in Boston Saw Chinese Only Through The Lens of Exploitation, is now available in the new issue of Sampan. During the 19th century, before the formation of Boston's Chinatown, some Chinese passed through Boston, stage acts which garnered the interest of many attendees. This was often exploitation, displaying the Chinese merely because they were different, tantalizing the audiences with something "exotic." Read my full article to learn more about this disturbing aspect of local history.  

What is a "sampan?" The newspaper's site states, "A sampan is a popular river boat in traditional China. This small but useful vessel, by transporting cargo from large boats to the village ports, creates a channel of communication among villages." And like that type of boat, Sampan delivers news and information all across New England, and "acts a bridge between Asian American community organizations and individuals in the Greater Boston area."

Sampan, which was founded in 1972, is published by the nonprofit Asian American Civic Association, "The newspaper covers topics that are usually overlooked by the mainstream press, such as key immigration legislation, civil rights, housing, education, day-care services and union activities. These issues are crucial to the well-being of Asian immigrants, refugees, low-income families as well as individuals who are not proficient in the English language."

There is plenty of interest in Sampan which will appeal to all types of readers, from restaurant reviews to historical articles, from vital news stories to travel items. In these current days when racism and prejudice against Asians and their restaurants is high, it's more important than ever that accurate information about the Asian community is disseminated and promoted. We need to combat the irrational prejudices that some possess, and support our Asian communities just as we would support any other element of our overall community. We are all important aspects of a whole, and we need to stand together.

Support Sampan!