8 food items that were invented by mistake

People who dedicate their lives in inventing something face a lot of difficulties than we think.

We have examples of Einstein and Edison who failed multiple times before succeeding in what they were inventing.

But not all experiments have to be as tiring and disappointing as not being able to light a bulb 1000 times.

Like every other thing on this planet, food was also invented and has evolved from time to time.

New dishes and ingredients are being invented and researched every day. Sometimes out of apathy and sometimes out of sheer luck.

But the food industry has also seen its shares of ups and downs and in the process of creating delicious cuisines, people have committed mistakes and thankfully, some of them are as delicious as potato chips.

Yes, potato chips is a result of a frustrated chef’s dire need to satisfy one of his customers. There have been many such foods that we can’t imagine our survival without were invented by mistake.

Created by a man called George Crum, potato chips were first invented in 1853. Crum worked as the head chef in Moon Lake Lodge in Saratoga springs. The restaurant was famous for serving fries and one customer complained about the size of the fries to be too thick. Crum made another batch for him with thinner pieces but he was still fussy. So, out of frustration, Crum decided to make slice as thin pieces as possible and fry them. Not only the customer loved them but the world knows them as the best snack, our favourite potato chips.

As a part of an experiment to create an alternative to his cocaine addiction, John Pemberton, a wounded veteran sought to create this drink. He created a tonic in his pharmacy with little amounts of cocaine along with caffeine-rich Kola nut. It was bought by Asa Candler, another pharmacist, for $2,300 who added soda to it to increase bubbles. Coca Cola became the most loved fountain drink of America by the late 1890s.

Made by an 11-year-old in 1905, popsicles are one of the most loved treats among children even today. Frank Epperson left his soda making equipment on his porch overnight with a mixing stick stuck in it. He woke up to the most delicious surprise the next morning. After 17 years, he started selling it with different flavours and the treat soon became an instant hit.

Many legends revolve around the making of the sandwich but our favourite one is when a guy named John Montagu couldn’t leave intense gambling round, to think clearly, he ordered meat stuffed in two pieces of bread. Some people also believe that his work did not allow him to get up often, so he prepared a meal that would take the least number of utensils and can be eaten without getting hands dirty.

Although the creator of one of the most consumed drinks is unknown, champagne was invented in the year 1490. It was created from the champagne wine and during the fermentation of the wine, it started producing bubbles which were not seen as a good sign. The temperatures of the champagne region started to rise, creating a shorter growing season. The heat in the environment leads to the production of bubbles at a rapid pace which causes the fermentation process to take place twice within the same batch. With this, the produce of the bubbles increased so much that it would force the corks of bottles outside and the bottles exploded. After the bubbles were controlled after a certain level, the product that came out was amusing and is now called champagne.

Will Kellogg, one of Kellogg’s brothers, invented the cornflakes in the early 1900s. While trying to create a healthy granola treat for his patients, Will and Harvey Kellogg accidentally created flakes out of wheat berry. So, Will Kellogg kept experimenting until he succeeded in flaking corn. Now we know them as famous breakfast cereal, corn flakes.

This one was created out of an act of kindness. Ernest Hamwi participated in St. Louis’ World fair where he was selling waffle-like pastries called Zalabis. His neighbour was selling ice-cream and soon ran out of plates. So, to help him, he made cones out of Zalabis that could contain the ice-cream. This soon became a hit with the customers and now ice-cream is incomplete without a cone.

A British governor of Bengal called Lord Marcus Sandy came back to England in 1838 and was craving for a special kind of Indian sauce. So, to attend to his craving, a sauce was made with the same ingredients and taste that he described. The sauce was not sold in markets for a long time because of its stench but once it made out, there was no looking back.