The most popular item in the earliest Chinese restaurants in the U.S. was chop suey, a mixture of meat and vegetables in a brown sauce. The origins of chop suey are murky but the dish certainly had a strong impact. It was such a popular term that it was even co-opted by others, to apply to non-Chinese foods, such as the Chop Suey Sundae.
A Chop Suey Sundae? Meat, vegetables and a brown sauce over ice cream? No, this sundae merely takes the name of that dish and none of the usual ingredients are present. There are actually two different versions of the Chop Suey Sundae, one which is more of a drink and the other which is more of a dessert to eat.
The drink version was invented first, in 1903, but by 1904, the second version had also appeared, and both versions could be found all across the country. At this time, chop suey joints were hugely popular, so it was inevitable others would try to capitalize on its popularity.
Although there were multiple newspaper references to the Chop Suey Sundae in the first half of 1903, a description wasn’t provided until the Plain Dealer (OH), July 26, 1903. The article stated, “Chop suey sundae is a great favorite, […] it has absolutely none of the ingredients in the Chinese preparation from which it takes its name nor is it eaten with a chopstick. It is a combination of dates, figs and nuts all flavored with a special mixture of syrups and ices.” It was essentially a soda fountain drink, and a new fad that quickly spread across the entire country.
More details were given in the Indianapolis Journal (IN), August 2, 1903, noting, “The ingredients of the real chop suey of Chinatown are not used in the chop suey sundae. The drink gets its name because it resembles chop suey in hue. It is, in fact, black—black as midnight. It might be called a nocturne.” The writer watched as his server “…mixed together dates, figs, chocolate and soda water” and then commented that “The drink, when it was finished, looked like some sort of effervescent ink.”
As a gimmick, the Daily Chronicle, August 6, 1903, published an ad for Brown’s Drug Store, noting that “every lady” who bought a Chop Suey Sundae would receive a free pair of “genuine Chinese chopsticks,” although you obviously couldn’t use the chopsticks for the fountain drink.
A different version, something to eat rather than drink, was first mentioned in The Cleveland Leader, (OH), August 7, 1904. It stated, “Chop suey sundaes are perhaps enjoying the widest popularity of all of the new aspirants for public favor in the ice cream line. One of these sundaes is made by filling a glass with ice cream, pouring over the cream a syrup made of dates, figs, and maple syrup, and topping the whole with a sprinkling of chopped nuts.”
Over the years, both versions would continue to co-exist, although the sundae style would eventually be more dominant. The Detroit Times (MI), January 20, 1910, printed an ad for a fancier version of the Chop Suey drink, using 8 different kinds of crushed fruit, with walnuts, almonds, pecans and filberts, all diluted with pure maple syrup.
The National Soda Fountain Guide (1913), by William S. Adkins, provided more information on the Chop Suey Sundae. It stated, “As the name indicates, these constitute various mixtures. Chopped dates, figs, and raisins make a good Chop Suey combination. Place a scoop of ice cream in a cup and sprinkle it with the chopped fruit. Or mix the chopped fruits with a heavy syrup and pour over the ice cream.” It then continued, “Chopped fruits are apt to get sticky and will work better with the addition of syrup. Chopped nuts of all sorts may be added to the Chop Suey mixtures; also sliced pineapple, candied fruits, shredded coconut, preserved ginger, and almost any confection of this sort you care to use.”
The book also gave instructions on how to make a Chop Suey Double Sundae. “Take raisins, dates and figs, in equal quantities, chop them and mix with enough simple syrup of a heavy grade to permit the mixture to pour easily. This is the chop suey mixture.” After making this mixture, “Now place any two desired kinds of ice cream in the usual mounds on the serving dish. Pour a small ladle of the chop suey mixture in the space between the two mounds of ice cream. Top with a whole cherry or with a whole berry in season. Prepared cocoanut may also be introduced into the chop suey mixture, and a little candied ginger is added by some dispensers.”
In addition, the book provided variations, including the Nut Chop Suey Double Sundae which added nuts instead of raisins. Plus, there were recipes for a Chop Suey Mousse and a Chop Suey Parfait. At some unknown point, a few places started adding chow mein noodles to their Chop Suey Sundaes, although that was very rare during the first half of the 20th century.
If you want other Chop Suey Sundae recipes, a quick search online will find plenty. And now that you know what it is, I suspect you’d like to eat one.
For more information, you may read Richard Auffrey’s article on the history of Chinatown and Chinese cuisine at https://passionatefoodie.blogspot.com/2020/04/all-about-bostons-chinatown-chinese.html
