Established in 2019, in honor of the founders of Van’s Kitchen, Van and Kim Nguyen, National Egg Roll Day is a relatively new food holiday. Van’s Kitchen began in Dallas, Texas, in 1986, with the Vietnamese-themed restaurant, representing the beginning of the family’s pursuit of the ‘American dream’. Like many other immigrant families, Van and Kim came from Vietnam with a passion for sharing their culture through food, especially their authentic egg rolls — consisting of shredded cabbage, minced meat (usually pork), bamboo shoots, onions, and a variety of other freshly ground spices all blended into one delectable filling. They strive to maintain the quality of their egg rolls by using only the freshest ingredients.
Although the origins of the dish are unknown, it may be traced back to Southern China’s Cantonese cuisine. However, many Asian countries also lay claim to having different variations of the humble egg roll. According to Andrew Coe, author of “Chop Suey: A Cultural History of Chinese Food in the United States,” the modern-day egg roll was most likely invented in New York in the 1930s. As compared to the ancient Southern Chinese traditional rolls, Americans have been consuming egg-roll-like food since the mid-1800s.
The distinctive American-style egg roll recipe was first published in 1938 by chef Henry Low, one of the two contending chefs who vie to take credit for popularizing the dish. Despite its short history, the typical egg roll we see today has stayed true to its crunchy, soft, savory origins, and just the thought of it has us drooling and reaching for the nearest takeout menu.
Tanja's Little Corner of The World 