Category: Food History
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Subgum: the vintage Chinese-American catch-all that vanished from most menus
Subgum was the everything-in-the-kitchen mixed plate that defined mid-century Chinese-American menus. Today it survives only in old-school chop suey houses.
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Springfield-Style Cashew Chicken: The Missouri Dish That Doesn’t Exist Anywhere Else
David Leong invented Springfield-style cashew chicken in 1963 — deep-fried, gravy-smothered, and weirdly local. Here’s how the dish stayed in southwest Missouri.
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Pu Pu Platter: the Polynesian-Chinese appetizer tower born in tiki-era America
The Pu Pu Platter wasn’t invented in Polynesia or China. It’s a mid-century American mashup that nearly vanished before its retro comeback.