The word “gumbo” comes from the West African word for “okra,” which is a key ingredient in gumbo. Though some versions of gumbo will swap okra for filé, dried sassafrass leaves.

The earliest form of quesadillas are mentioned in a 16th century Italian cookbook and described as somewhat of an ancient fried Pop Tart, or empanadas. They were filled with ingredients and made so the snack would be portable. When the Spanish conquistadors arrived in Mexico, the wheat in the dough was substituted for the available corn masa.

There are a myriad of Asian-type rolls that nearly all have their origins in China. And everyone seems to have their own term for each roll that varies from spring roll, to egg roll, to summer roll (and I just did a Google search and found that fall rolls and winter rolls are also a thing – and they’re not the kind you develop from overindulging in holiday feasts).

The earliest documented recipe for macaroni and cheese was written in Northern Europe circa 1769, but the exact origin is unknown. Thomas Jefferson brought mac and cheese to the US from France.

I don’t think it’s necessary for me to tell you where Brazilian cheese bread comes from but if I must write it, here goes – it comes from Singapore. Juuuust kidding, please don’t come after me you beautiful Brazilian people.. Or maybe you should ;)

The birthtime of risotto varies depending on whether you want to refer to the legend or actual documented recipes. If you want to be official, cookbooks began mentioning risotto in the 1800s. But if you want the more fun version, it began in September of 1574 when the daughter of a master glassmaker by the name of Valerio was set to marry a man she nicknamed “Zafferano” (“saffron” in Italian) due to his deep adoration for the ingredient.

The origins of avocado toast can take you all over the globe and back hundreds of years. Bill Granger from Sydney Australia claims that he was the first to invent and serve it at his cafe Bills, in 1993.

In Spanish, the word “elote” literally translates to “corn”. Considering this, tracing the origins of Mexican street corn requires taking a look back at the history of corn in Mexico. I won’t speak to the evolution of Mexican corn over millennia but let’s just say it goes as far back as the Aztec civilization (whose people and I have something very significant in common – we both consider the tamale sacred).

About 30,000 years ago (at least), the first flatbread was made. Up to that point, prehistoric man was combining water and grains to make gruel. Then somebody came along and had the bright idea to fry it on a rock and alas the OG flatbread was born.

It’s been said that turon began in communities in the Philippines that were located near banana trees and crop fields. When there was a surplus from harvest, the extras would be given to locals and ultimately sold at roadside.

There are many types of baos out there that have found its place in various Asian cultures. Not to be confused with the cha siu bao, boazi, xiao long bao, tangbao, or sheng jian bao, the gua bao is about 3 inches wide and looks like a jaw-shaped mini sandwich. It is also known as the Taiwanese hamburger.

The latte has been said to be several centuries old. However, the term caffé latte was first used by author William Dean Howell, who posited that the latte was created in regions in Italy where many American tourists traveled to. It took some time but the caffé latte found its way to northern Europe in Scandinavia in the 1980’s (in some cases by the name café au lait).

The origins of bread pudding go as far back as the early 11th century when creative, penny-wise cooks sought to find a use for their leftover, stale bread. Fast forward two centuries and bread pudding was popularized amongst lower classes and consequently became known in England as the “poor man’s pudding”.

I could find virtually no information on the history of butternut squash soup so the best I can do is give you the history of butternut squash (or at least the best I could find on that as well).