Oreo

Oreo is a trademark for a popular type of sandwich cookie manufactured by the Nabisco Corporation, introduced in 1912. It is very similar to Sunshine's competing Hydrox cookie, introduced in 1908, which, having lost market share to Oreo for years, was withdrawn in 1996. The modern design of the Oreo was developed in 1952 by William A. Turnier. It consists of two circular chocolate wafers with a sugary white filling (commonly referred to as "cream", although it is actually not) sandwiched between them. Originally, Oreos were mound-shaped; some postulate that this is the source of the name "Oreo" (Greek for "hill"). The modern design of the Oreo allows it to be eaten in several ways. Some people twist apart the wafers and eat the filling first; others eat the cookie without taking it apart. Some prefer to eat Oreo cookies after dunking them in milk.

The Oreo cookie is commonly used as an ingredient or adornment for other foods. Milkshakes containing Oreo cookies are popular, and deep-fried Oreo cookies, which are batter-dipped Oreos fried like funnel cakes, are sometimes sold at carnivals and fairs. Also, the development of premium ice creams has produced "cookies and cream" flavors, a vanilla ice cream with chunks of chocolate sandwich cookies included. Cookies 'n' Cream may or may not contain actual Nabisco Oreo cookies, however, and may instead have non-Nabisco brand chocolate sandwich cookies that are functionally identical, such as Hydrox and an endless stream of "generic" brands. Many cookies similar to Oreo cookies are commonly referred to as "Oreo" despite not having an actual connection to Nabisco.

Etymology

Some have suggested the name "Oreo" came about because it was a nice and melodic use of sounds that were easy to pronounce. Others claim the name is based on the French word for gold, a color used on early packaged designs. Another theory is that the name comes from the Greek word for mountain (oreo), as previously mentioned.

Varieties

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Oreo cookies in Canadian packaging

Not all varieties are listed here, and not all are available in every country.

• Oreo Big Stuff!!! - an Oreo cookie about thrice the size of a regular one
• Double Stuf Oreo - an Oreo cookie with a double portion of filling
• Double Stuf Peanut Butter Creme Oreo - an Oreo with a double portion of a peanut butter-flavored filling
• Double Stuf Chocolate Creme Oreo - an Oreo with a double portion of a chocolate-flavored filling
• Colored creme Oreo - Instead of white cream, these Oreos contain cream that is tinted a certain color. They are sold at appropriate times of the year (orange at Halloween, red at Christmas, blue and yellow during springtime). All colored creme Oreos have special designs like kites, pumpkins, or Christmas trees.
• Chocolate Creme Oreo contain chocolate-flavored cream instead of the traditional white cream. A similar cookie by the name of Fudgee-O is made in (and available in) Canada, also made by Nabisco.
• Fudge Oreo - like the traditional cookie, but with an overall coating of chocolate fudge
• White Fudge Oreo - Oreo cookies with a coating of white chocolate fudge (these are usually sold during winter, to be reminiscent of snow)
• Mystic Mint - like the traditional cookie, but with an overall chocolate mint flavored coating
• Double Delight Oreo - Oreo cookies with two different flavors of filling in the same cookie
  • Peanut Butter and Chocolate - The filling is half peanut butter and half chocolate-flavored "cream".
  • Mint 'n' Creme - The filling is half white "cream" and half mint-flavored "cream".
  • Coffee 'n' Creme - The filling is half white "cream" and half coffee-flavored "cream".
  • Mocha 'n' Chocolate Creme The filling is half mocha "cream" and half-chocolate "cream". This product is only available in Canada.
  • Caramel 'n' Chocolate - The filling is half caramel "cream" and half chocolate flavoured "cream".
• Uh-Oh! Oreo - The flavors of the cookie are reversed; the wafers are vanilla flavored and the cream is chocolate. The name comes from a television commercial for the cookie, in which a little girl exclaims, "Uh-oh!" after watching malfunctioning factory equipment create a reversed cookie.
• Cup o' dirt - This children's dessert is not exactly an Oreo, but a cup of chocolate pudding and crumbled Oreo cookies on top, filled with gummy worms. May alternatively be called "worms 'n' dirt."
• Golden Oreo - have the usual cream, but yellow wafers instead of chocolate ones. "Uh-Oh! Oreo" is essentially a Golden Oreo cookie with chocolate filling.
• Mini Oreo - A smaller, "bite-sized" version of the cookie, they are packaged in bags or individual snack packs rather than the usual wrapped trays.
• Oreo Barz - a candy bar variation of the cookie, containing the wafer and cream, plus a chocolate coating and chocolate chips for topping
• Oreo O's - a breakfast cereal containing the chocolate and cream flavors of the cookie with marshmallow bits
• Oreo Ice Cream - a brand of cookies 'n' cream flavored ice cream containing blended Oreo cookies and vanilla ice cream. Breyers makes this ice cream in the United States while Nestle makes it in Canada.
• Oreo Ice Cream Sandwiches - same as the cookie with larger wafers and Oreo ice cream in the middle (without the huge chunks of oreo cookies in it) Breyers makes this Ice Cream in the United States while Nestle makes it in Canada.
• Jell-O Oreo Pudding - Jell-O brand chocolate pudding at the bottom and on top, with vanilla in the middle.

An Oreo variety with lemon-flavored filling was available in the 1920s. Some generic brand Oreo cookies still have such varieties.

Oreo cookies in popular culture

• For many years, one of the most well-known traits of the DC Comics character J'onn J'onzz, the Martian Manhunter, was his addiction to Oreo cookies. Later the addiction was changed to "Chocos" due to trademark or copyright laws.
• On T.V. commercials for Oreo cookies, an Oreo cookie sometimes makes a child's milk disappear because he/she continues to dunk the cookie into it, implying that Oreo cookies can make children drink more milk.
• Some have created "Quadruplestuf" sandwich cookies by taking the tops off 2 Double Stuf Oreo cookies and putting them together. "Quadruplestuf" (or Quadruple Stuf) Oreo cookies are not an official brand, but they have been shown in the media and on TV shows such as South Park.
• Some pet owners have been known to name pets with black and white coloring "Oreo" after the cookie.
• "Weird Al" Yankovic sang a song called The White Stuff, about the cream "in the middle of an Oreo". It was a spoof of a New Kids on the Block song.

As a racial term

The term "Oreo" is also used, primarily by African Americans, as a derogatory term for a person who is black by ethnicity, yet whose sympathies lie with whites. The term implies that the individual so described is "black on the outside, but white on the inside". Likewise, the term "Uh-Oh! Oreo" is used as a slang term for "wiggers". These terms are generally considered racist for implying that there is a certain way to act or think if an individual is of a given ethnicity. Some, however, argue such terms are an open indictment of white cultural appropriation, as Caucasians are thought not to be inclined to admit the extent to which they dominate American culture.

Dietary compatibility

In 1998, Nabisco declared that Oreo cookies were kosher-dairy in Kosher diets. On May 13, 2003, attorney Stephen Joseph filed suit charging Nabisco with using hydrogenated, or partially hydrogenated, oils to make the cookies. The suit was dropped as Nabisco considered replacing the hydrogenated oils with alternative oils.

As of January 2006, classic Oreo cookies are no longer manufactured with hydrogenated oils. Be sure to check the label, as older packages will still be on store shelves for some time, and other varieties may not have eliminated hydrogenated oils completely.

Depending on the area of manufacture, Oreo cookies may or may not be vegan.

External links

• Official site
• Additional history notes on Oreo cookies