National Crab Rangoon Day Date in the current year: February 13, 2024

Crab rangoons, also known as crab puffs, crab rangoon puffs, cream cheese rangoons, or cheese wontons, are crispy fried dumplings filled with a mixture of crab meat and cream cheese. Like many dishes of American Chinese cuisine, they were inspired by traditional Chinese food but contain ingredients that are not used in authentic Chinese cuisine, in this case cream cheese.

Crab rangoons are a type of wonton, a small round dumpling with a savory filling. In China, wontons are usually steamed or boiled in a clear broth and served in soup. In the United States, Chinese restaurants serve them in two ways: boiled in soup or fried as an appetizer, usually with some kind of sauce. Crab rangoons are typically fried.

The word “rangoon” is an outdated romanization of Yangon, the former capital of Myanmar, but the dish has nothing to do with Myanmar or Burmese cuisine. Crab rangoons are believed to be an invention of the Polynesian-themed restaurant and tiki bar chain Trader Vic’s. They were served at the chain’s Beverly Hills location as early as 1955 and appeared on the menu of Trader Vic’s in San Francisco in 1956. The dish was most likely invented by Joe Young, an Asian-American chef who worked under the Trader Vic’s founder Victor Bergeron. Another version of its origin story claims that the crab rangoon was created by Bergeron himself.

The main ingredients of the crab rangoon filling are minced crab meat or imitation crab meat, cream cheese, onion or scallions, garlic, and other flavorings and seasonings. The filling is divided into small portions that are wrapped in wonton wrappers (thin squares of dough). Crab rangoons can have different shapes: a triangle, a four-pointed star, a purse or flower, etc. The dumplings are then deep-fried in vegetable oil or baked.

Crab rangoons can be served hot or cold. In American Chinese restaurants, they are usually served with a dipping sauce or a selection of sauces, such as duck sauce, hot mustard sauce, plum sauce, soy sauce, sweet and sour sauce.

National Crab Rangoon Day was established around 2008 by Kristen Ostrem Donelan, Kara Sweeney, and Sarah White MacIntyre, a group of friends and crab rangoon enthusiasts from Boston who wanted to honor their favorite dish and celebrate their friendship. The holiday is celebrated the day before Valentine’s Day to encourage singles to get together with their friends, indulge in crab rangoons, and have a good time instead of moping.

There are many ways to celebrate National Crab Rangoon Day. You can go out for crab rangoons to your favorite Chinese restaurant or order takeout, make your own crab rangoons at home, or invite your friends over for a crab rangoon taste test or cook-off. Don’t forget to snap a photo of your crab rangoons before eating and post it on social media with the hashtags #NationalCrabRangoonDay and #CrabRangoonDay to spread the word.