Ah, food! We eat it in order to survive, but also for enjoyment. Culinary skills, recipes, and traditions have evolved over millennia. People have experimented with millions of combinations of ingredients in order to create perfect meals for everyone to enjoy.

As cultures became more defined and became known for their distinct meals and tastes, the Western world, in particular, began to appropriate them, which allowed for two things: more widespread cultural experiences and different spins on these "foreign" meals.

As we're discovering more and more culinary traditions and staples of various cultures, myths have been created about them, from their origins to even their authenticity. While most have been debunked, there are still many that are popularly believed. And here are some of those myths!

14 Fortune Cookies Are China's Signature Creation

Turns out that your favorite Chinese treat is, more than likely, Japanese! According to food historian Yasuko Nakamatchi, this tradition can be traced back to bakeries in Kyoto. The tradition was passed onto Chinese bakers when Japanese people were being brought to concentration camps during World War II.

13 Twinkies Have Maintained Their Recipe Since Conception

Whether you love them or hate them, you may want to note that the Twinkie recipe has changed drastically since its creation. Twinkies came about during World War II and, originally, had a banana filling. However, once rationing started, the company switched to vanilla. The rest, as they say, is history!

12 The Sandwich Was Named After Royalty

The legend went that the sandwich was created by the Earl of, you guessed it, Sandwich! However, the sandwich is a Jewish creation from 3300 years ago. A sage named Hillel combined dried herbs, matzo, and lamb during a Seder and, voila! The first sandwich!

11 Lobsters Are Only For Those With A Stacked Wallet

We come to associate seafood and the wealthy, particularly lobster. They used to be the bottom of the food chain! When colonialists first discovered them, they were primarily used as bait and to feed the poor, as well as servants. Oh, how the tides have turned!

10 Vegetarian Sausages Were The Results Of A Successful Movement

Vegetarian sausage does not have the noblest of beginnings. It was created in Cologne, Germany, during a food shortage during World War I. Konrad Adenauer had the idea to use ingredients, such as soy, corn, and barley, and cook them into a sausage. It lacked in flavor, but has since vastly improved!

9 GMOs Are A New Thing

We've been hearing about GMOs for quite some time and, turns out, they've been around much longer than that. How long? Try 8000 years! Researchers in Peru have found a wide array of genes in many kinds of sweet potatoes. This makes the sweet potato the first genetically modified food (albeit naturally).

8 Margaret Thatcher Helped Invent The First Soft-Serve Ice Cream

Nope! The Brits didn't have anything to do with this one. Although the British ice cream company, Mr. Whippy, introduced the yummy creation, Tom Carvel originated it. After his ice cream truck broke down, he began to sell the softer, melting ice cream. It caught on as early 1938!

7  Corned Beef And Cabbage Are Irish Delicacies

6 Spaghetti Bolognese Is Italian (Well, Not Quite)

You'd be hard-pressed to find any Italian restaurant that doesn't sell Spaghetti Bolognese. However, it's not authentically Italian. It's completely American. In Italy, you would find the spaghetti on one course and the meat on another, but never together. It also wouldn't be loaded with extra toppings.

5 Olive Oil In Bread Is An Italian Tradition (Also, Not Quite)

In most Italian restaurants, the bread usually comes with olive oil to dip it in. This also isn't authentically Italian. It's more popular in the States than in Italy. The practice is considered messy and expensive since a large bowl of olive oil is rarely going to be wiped clean.

4 Italians Are Bathing In Wine

3 Spices Only Enhance Your Food's Flavour

Spices have a richer history than we think. During the Middle Ages, spices were expensive, making them inaccessible to most. However, it was discovered that it masked the signs of spoiled meat (or aging meat, at the very least), allowing people to sell their products, regardless of its state!

2 Curry In India Has A Different Definition

Though Americans have come to see curry as a dish, that's inaccurate. A curry is anything that includes vegetables and/or meat in spicy sauce! So you could have beef in a cumin sauce and it would be considered curry. Talk about variety!

1 Chicken Tikka Is A Staple Of Indian Cuisine

This one's a little shocking. Chicken tikka masala's roots are not completely clear. The most common story is that it was originated by Bangladeshi chefs in Britain experimenting with a sauce made out of yogurt and spices It went on to be lauded as a British National Dish in 2001.

Next: The Best 10 Foodie Cities For Vegetarians (And 10 Who Can Learn Something)