Some people dip them in a tall glass of milk; some separate the creme from the chocolate cookies and eat them separately; some smother them with peanut butter—and others just enjoy them plain. You can even find deep fried versions at carnivals and fairs. The Oreo cookie is an undeniable American classic.
In April of 1912, the National Biscuit Company (soon to be known as Nabisco) created a trio of what they termed the “highest class biscuits”. Included in this set of cookies was the Mother Goose Biscuit, the Veronese Biscuit, and the Oreo Biscuit. The first two cookies were quickly discontinued but the third, the Oreo Biscuit, was exactly what people were craving and is just as popular today.
Described as “two beautifully embossed chocolate-flavored wafers with a rich creme filling at 30 cents per pound,” the original Oreo closely resembled the modern cookie we love. The design embossed on today’s chocolate wafers first debuted in 1952, altered slightly from the original motif. Throughout history, cookie fanatics have theorized (without much evidence) that the various designs embossed on the Oreo represented everything from the Knights Templar to the Freemasons. Mystery also surrounds the cookie’s name. Some guess that “Oreo” comes from the French word for gold, and others claim that the name is a nod to the Greek word for mountain.
No matter the name, since the debut of the cookie over 100 years ago, Nabisco has sold over 450 billion Oreos, making it the best-selling cookie of the 20th century. March 6th is National Oreo Cookie Day, and we’re celebrating by serving up our own version of homemade Oreos and Oreo sandwiches made with house-made Oreo ice cream at The Factory Café from March 6th until March 11th. Stop by for one (or three).