Origins: Fig Newtons

 

The origin story of Fig Newtons is an interesting tale that dates back to the late 19th century. The story begins with a man named Charles Roser, a cookie and cracker maker from Ohio, United States.

In the late 1800s, Charles Roser had been experimenting with various recipes and creations in his bakery. He developed a unique pastry filled with fig paste, which he believed would make a delicious and commercially viable product. Roser envisioned a cookie that would combine the natural sweetness and flavor of figs with a soft, cake-like texture.

However, it was not until 1891 that Roser sold his recipe to a young Philadelphia-based bakery owned by the Kennedy family. The Kennedys were the founders of the Kennedy Biscuit Works, a company that later became the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco).

The Kennedy family recognized the potential of Roser's fig-filled pastry and set out to refine the recipe and commercialize the product. They made several modifications to Roser's original creation, including changing the shape and name of the cookie. The cookie was initially named "Fig Newtons" after the town of Newton, Massachusetts, known for its prominent role in early American history.

The name "Newton" was added to honour the town, but the cookie itself did not have any direct association with it. The "Fig" part of the name, of course, referred to the cookie's key ingredient.

Fig Newtons were officially introduced to the public in 1892, and they quickly gained popularity across the United States. The cookie's unique combination of a soft, cake-like exterior and a sweet, chewy fig filling made it a favourite among consumers.

Over the years, the Fig Newton recipe underwent further refinements and variations. Nabisco, which eventually became part of the Mondelez International company, continued to produce and market Fig Newtons as one of their flagship products.

Fig Newtons became an iconic and beloved treat, with their distinctive rectangular shape and the fig filling peeking out from the centre. While the recipe has evolved slightly over time, the essence of Fig Newtons has remained consistent—a delightful combination of figs and cake-like cookie dough.

Today, Fig Newtons are available in various flavors, including classic fig, strawberry, apple-cinnamon, and more. They continue to be enjoyed by people around the world, providing a sweet and satisfying snack that has stood the test of time.

Source: Some or all of the content was generated using an AI language model