1

Hamburger

Image: Carles Rabada

Due to their popularity and widespread appeal, hamburgers are considered an unofficial national dish of the United States, and there’s good reason for this. It's hard to think of a more American dish than a hamburger, right?

Well, hamburgers may be a national treasure today, but their very name gives us a clue about their true origin: Germany’s Hamburg .

2

Hot dogs

Image: Peter Secan

Few things are as American as buying a hot dog from a street vendor and enjoying it in the sun, right? Well, not exactly. The more formal names of the humble hot dog—frankfurters and Vienna sausages—give us, once again, a hint about their German and Austrian true origin.

3

French fries

Image: Elizabeth Jamieson

While French fries have been a national staple for quite some time, their very name also gives away their foreign origin. There is an ongoing debate about whether these fries are actually French or Belgian , but in any case, these delicious bits of joy are not American.

4

Mustard

Image: Peter Werkman

Mustard, the first of many popular condiments cherished by Americans, was first consumed by the Egyptians in its original seed form and later by the Romans as the paste we most commonly use today.

5

Ketchup

Image: Dennis Klein

Another condiment that is at least as popular as mustard in America, if not more, ketchup originated as a Chinese fermented fish sauce called "kê-tsiap." Over time, the sauce evolved, leaving the fish behind and replacing it with tomatoes to become the ketchup we know today.

6

Pickles

Image: Mehmet Uzut

Another food highly appreciated on American soil is pickles. Whether on burgers, served as a side with sandwiches, chopped into relish for hot dogs, or enjoyed in many other ways, these vinegar-soaked cucumbers are a staple of our cuisine. But multiple records trace the origin of these treats as far as ancient Egypt , where even Cleopatra was rumored to love them.

7

Apple pie

Image: Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦

This may be shocking to some, but alas, it is true: the quintessentially American apple pie is not really American. The earliest known recipes for apple pie belong to the ancient Greeks . And Dutch bakers created the modern version of the pie in the 15th century.

8

Mac and cheese

Image: Hermes Rivera

Thomas Jefferson is often credited with inventing macaroni and cheese after bringing back a macaroni machine from a trip to Europe, but he was not the first to come up with the idea.

The original recipe for macaroni baked with cheese sauce first appeared in the 14th-century cookbook Liber de Coquina, which is believed to have been written by an Italian author.

9

Bacon

Image: Casey DeViese

Nobody "invented" bacon, right? It’s just a piece of meat. The origins can be traced back to the ancient world, where curing and preserving pork became a common practice. But, as it happens, most sources agree that the Celts were the first to prepare and cook it in the way we do today.

10

Meatloaf

Image: RitaE

A humble recipe, for sure, meatloaf was made in Medieval Europe from scraps of meat held together by fruits, nuts, and seasonings. It was created to stretch leftover beef or create a more substantial meal from less expensive cuts of meat.

11

Mayonnaise

Image: May_hokkaido

The third and final condiment on our list is another American staple, even though its French name might give us a pretty straightforward idea of its origin. But it's not that simple.

The French mayonnaise is likely derived from Spanish versions of aioli, which is a garlic mayonnaise.

12

Barbecue

Image: Andrik Langfield

Surely, something as American as a barbecue must be a local invention, right? Wrong, again. Known as "barbacoa" in the West Indies long before it became popular in America, barbecues have been around for a long time. Even the modern barbecue, with spice-rubbed meat slowly cooked over a fire and topped with sauce, originated in the Caribbean .

1

The Golden Globe: Lighter than it looks

Image: MUILLU

Despite its prestigious reputation, the Golden Globe is one of the lightest major awards, it weighs just 7.8 pounds. That’s about the same as a small bag of sugar. Not exactly a workout for the winners, right?

While it may not be as heavy as an Oscar or a SAG Award, it’s still one of the most recognizable trophies in Hollywood.

2

A golden glow-up in 2009

Image: Kier in Sight Archives

The Golden Globe has been around since 1944, but in 2009, the award got a makeover . Its base was updated and they reinforced the top for a more durable design.

The refresh made sure this little trophy could withstand the excitement (and maybe the occasional after-party mishap). The new design kept its classic golden charm while making it sturdier for future winners.

3

Golden Globe: What’s it made of?

Image: Zlaťáky.cz

Now, let’s talk materials: Did you think the Golden Globe is all gold? Not quite! Up to 2019, the trophy was coated in 24-carat gold , sitting on an exotic marble base. However, the new design is made of zinc, brass, and bronze. Goodbye, marble!

That mix of materials makes it both elegant and solid, though it’s still one of the lighter awards out there.

4

The SAG Award: Hollywood’s heaviest trophy

Image: Venti Views

If you’ve ever bowled a strike, you’ve lifted something as heavy as a SAG Award. This trophy called "The Actor" is the bulkiest of the bunch, with a hefty 12 pounds .

Contrary to Golden Globe winners, SAG Award winners need a little arm strength to hoist it up for their acceptance speeches. But hey, considering how much actors work out for movie roles, a little extra weight shouldn’t be a problem!

5

A trophy with a military past

Image: Scott Webb

The SAG Award isn’t just heavy, it’s made of solid bronze originally developed for the US Navy.

The same material used in World War II for ship propellers and shell casings is now used to honor Hollywood’s finest, how about that?

6

The SAG Award: The baby of the group

Image: Tim Wildsmith

Compared to other long-standing awards, The Actor is still the new kid on the awards block. The SAG Awards are only 30 years old , they are the youngest of the major Hollywood trophies.

However, they’ve quickly become one of the most respected honors in the industry. They acknowledge and reward actors and crews from TV shows and they are highly valued among artists.

7

The Grammy’s original name: The Eddie?

Image: Clem Onojeghuo

The Grammy Award almost had a very different name. Originally, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences considered calling it "The Eddie," after Thomas Edison, the inventor of the phonograph.

That’s clever, but eventually, they settled on "Grammy," inspired by the gramophone, an early record player.

8

Handcrafted with care in Colorado

Image: Randy Fath

Unlike mass-produced trophies, each Grammy is handmade by John Billings and his small team in Ridgeway, Colorado.

It takes 15 hours to craft just one , making each award a true work of art. With only a few people in charge of making them, and only a few people in the world who can win it, there’s a special touch to every trophy.

9

Why the Grammys use fake trophies on stage

Image: Markus Spiske

Ever noticed how winners don’t immediately have their names on their Grammy Awards? That’s because they’re handed blank fake trophies during the ceremony!

After the show, Billings’ wife, Robin Meiklejohn, carefully engraves the real nameplates . That way, winners get their correctly labeled awards without any last-minute surprises. We bet you’ll be double-checking next time you watch it!

10

Oscar nameplates: Everyone gets one, just in case

Image: Serge Le Strat

Unlike the Grammy Awards, where nameplates are engraved after the winners are announced, the Academy Awards prepare nameplates for every nominee ahead of time. That means each nominee’s name is already printed and waiting backstage, ready to be attached. The losers’ nameplates? Well, let’s just say they don’t make it onto the trophies

11

The Oscar: More gold than any other award

Image: Samuel Ramos

Hollywood’s most coveted trophy isn’t just tall, it’s loaded with gold . The Academy Award has more gold than any other major trophy. So, to keep it shiny, the polishing work will require a little time!

It takes an hour of careful work to make sure each Oscar gleams on awards night. Because let’s face it, under those bright Hollywood lights, who wants a dull statue?

12

What’s with the Oscar’s base?

Image: Carol Highsmith's America

Have you ever wondered why the Oscar statue has a unique look? The base is designed as a five-section film reel , representing the Academy’s five core branches: actors, writers, directors, producers, and technicians.

It’s a nod to the many different talents that make a great film possible. A meaningful detail on Hollywood’s biggest prize, don’t you think?

13

Why you can’t sell an Oscar for more than $1

Image: Ilya Chunin

Think an Oscar could get one a fortune? Think again! Since 1950, every Oscar winner must agree to offer the trophy back to the Academy for just $1 before selling it.

This rule prevents an underground market for Hollywood’s highest honor, naturally. So if you’re dreaming of buying one, you might need to win it the old-fashioned way: By making a great movie!

14

Why is it called "Oscar"?

Image: Mirko Fabian

The name "Oscar" has a fun origin story. Legend has it that Margaret Herrick, a former Academy librarian, thought the statue looked like her Uncle Oscar , and the name just stuck! Maybe that’s not the real story, but it’s certainly better than calling it "The Academy Award of Merit."

1

Rotary telephones

Rotary telephones became common in America around the 1920s. In contrast to the push-button models that would come about in the 1970s, rotary telephones required a bit more work to dial a number. As the name suggests, users would have to place a finger in a numbered hole on the dial and then rotate it to a metal stop and release it — repeating this process with each number.

Dialing a long number could take quite some time , especially if you had many 9s and 0s, because these required the dial to travel the longest distance. It was normal to see these phones connected to the wall by a cord with a sturdy handset that rested on top of the base. Making a phone call was a completely different experience.

2

Tube television (CRT TVs)

When you see how thin and sleek TVs are nowadays, it’s almost impossible to imagine them as massive and heavy objects. CRT TVs became common after World War II , and the ownership boom happened throughout the 1950s.

These bulky cubes became the centerpiece of the typical family’s living room , where they gathered to watch TV. At first, images were black and white until the 1960s and 1970s, when color television would transform the viewing experience. Early televisions also didn’t have remote controls (something we now take for granted), so viewers would have to walk across the room to change channels or adjust the volume.

3

VCRs

It’s almost strange to remember that there was a time when people couldn’t watch movies at will, and their main choices were to wait until they aired on television or to buy theatre tickets. But this changed with the 1977 introduction of the VHS (Video Home System) players, aka VCRs, which revolutionized the way folks watched movies. The rise of VHS led to the explosion of video rental stores (such as the once-ubiquitous Blockbuster chain), which became a staple during the 1980s and 1990s.

Before returning a rented movie or in order to rewatch it, users had to rewind the tape , and many rental stores charged an extra fee if the tapes weren’t rewound. VCRs were later phased out after the rise of the DVD player.

4

Cassette Tapes and Cassette Players

Philips changed the world in 1963 when it released the compact cassette player, which became one of the most popular ways to listen to music from the 1970s through the 1990s . Cassette tapes made music portable, and suddenly people could listen to their favorite albums in the car or on a walk once Walkmans were introduced in 1979.

There are so many memories attached to cassette tapes, but homemade mixtapes are worth highlighting. This made it possible for listeners to create their own custom playlists on a cassette to share with friends and family, and making someone a mixtape was considered a very thoughtful and personal gift.

5

Telephone Directories

What would you do today if you wanted to find phone numbers, addresses, and local businesses? Probably Google. But not so long ago, you had to resort to The Yellow Pages. We all remember the large, thousand-page phone book; every family needed one if they wanted to be connected to the world. In some ways, phone books were the internet before the internet.

They included everything from residential phone numbers listed alphabetically to business directories organized by category. Whether you needed to reach a doctor or a plumber or even a school classmate, the phone book was the way to go.

6

Typewriters

The "click-clack" of the keys, followed by the familiar "ding" at the end of each line is likely one of the most recognizable sounds of the 20th century. Before personal computers, the only way to craft professional-looking documents was with typewriters — you could find them in schools, businesses, and homes.

Commercial typewriters came about in 1874, unlocking a new era of written communication. So many famous novels, newspaper articles, letters, and school assignments were written on typewriters before the digital era kicked in. Typewriters became a symbol of the art of writing , and we still use the QWERTY keyboard layout, introduced with them, on our modern computers and iPhones, too.

7

Encyclopedias

Instead of asking Google for the answer, a few decades ago, one of our only trusted sources of information was encyclopedia sets . Whether you were trying to find information on any topic for research, a school project, or simply out of curiosity, you had to go through the 20 to 30 hardcover volumes and find the one that contained the portion of the alphabet you needed to look into.

One of the most famous sets was the Encyclopedia Britannica, and having any set was considered a sign that a family valued education. But unlike digital encyclopedias, which can be modified in a matter of minutes, these had to be updated and printed again every year; therefore, companies offered door-to-door service.

8

Ashtrays in nearly every room

It’s almost impossible to explain to younger generations that people were once allowed to smoke in theatres, hotels, planes — even hospitals! Smoking was the most natural thing to do ; around 40% of American adults smoked cigarettes , which created a necessity for ashtrays everywhere.

From the 1940s through the 1970s, most homes had ashtrays in living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and even bathrooms; it was considered basic courtesy to have them around the house when guests visited. They came in all shapes and colors, made of glass, ceramic, crystal, or metal — different designs to match the home’s decor. This trend began fading after the 1980s with the growing awareness of the dangers of smoking.

9

Rolodex card files

Before the 2000s, if you were a salesperson, executive, secretary, journalist, or anyone who managed a large network of contacts, chances are you had a Rolodex. This compact and useful tool was perfect for managing information from different contacts when there were no cellphones . Professionals relied on them to keep track of clients and colleagues — actually, the phrase "having a good Rolodex" meant having an impressive network of connections.

It consisted of hundreds of small index cards arranged alphabetically on a rotating wheel, and users could quickly flip through the cards to find the information they kept there. In contrast with a normal address book, with a Rolodex, if someone moved or got a new phone number, you could simply replace the old card with a new one rather than having to rewrite it.

10

Manual Can Openers Mounted Under Kitchen Cabinets

If you grew up sometime between the 1950s and 1980s, you probably remember manual can openers permanently mounted beneath an upper cabinet in the kitchen. These can openers were very convenient when cooking, and they were built to last — made of durable steel and sturdy enough to keep being used for decades .

Once handheld and more ergonomic can openers (and later electric models) became more affordable, mounted versions gradually disappeared from households, though some are still found in professional kitchens.