Possibly the very first Californian dish, named for its birthplace which is today known as Placerville, Hangtown fry was invented during the California Gold Rush in the 1850s. Legend has it that the dish originated at the famed El Dorado hotel, when a miner, just having struck it rich, barged into a saloon demanding the most extravagant dish in the house.

The cook came up with this sumptuous omelet consisting of, back then, the most expensive ingredients: fried breaded oysters, eggs, and bacon. Due to the fact that it cost a fortune in those days, such a meal was considered a mark of prosperity for the miners, and a real feast.

Soon later, the recipe found its way from the Wild West all the way to the East Coast, sweeping the entire country. Today, Hangtown fry is listed as the official dish of both the city of Placerville and the county of El Dorado.