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One of the best parts of festive seasons is opening those giant tins of snacks and immediately reaching for the love letters
Thin, crispy, golden brown, and somehow impossible to stop at just one.
But have you ever stopped to wonder why they're called 'love letters' in the first place?
Because unlike pineapple tarts or peanut cookies, the name doesn't exactly describe what they are.
Also known as kuih kapit in Malaysia, the word kapit means "to clamp" or "to press", referring to how the wafers are made
A thin batter made from eggs, flour, sugar, and coconut milk is cooked between two patterned metal moulds over heat.
Once cooked, the wafer is quickly folded or rolled before it hardens.
So technically, kuih kapit describes the cooking method rather than the snack itself.
Which still doesn't explain where the much more dramatic name 'love letters' came from.
These days, you'll find versions filled or flavoured with things like peanut butter, chocolate, cheese, and even durian.
Image via AgrobazaarThe truth is, nobody knows for sure
Unlike many traditional foods, there is no single documented explanation for the origin of this nickname.
Instead, there are a few popular theories that have been passed down over time.
The most widely repeated story involves young couples who were not allowed to meet freely in the past.
According to the tale, lovers would hide secret messages inside rolled wafers and pass them to each other discreetly. Since the wafers could be eaten afterwards, the "evidence" would disappear too.
It's a sweet story, but there's no strong historical proof to support it.
Another theory is simpler, and likely more plausible
Some believe the name comes from the way the biscuits are folded.
Traditional love letters were often folded neatly before being sent, and folded kuih kapit can resemble small envelopes or letters.
Over time, English speakers may have started calling them 'love letters' because of that resemblance.
Others have suggested that the decorative patterns pressed onto the wafers may have also contributed to the name.
In short, there is no single confirmed origin story.
Whatever the true origin, 'love letters' definitely sounds a lot more charming than 'pressed biscuits'.
And let's be honest, if someone handed you a tin labelled Kuih Kapit versus one labelled Love Letters, you'd probably reach for the love letters too. Heh.
