Today’s Spotlight is on Dessert.

Dessert is a course that concludes a meal. The course consists of sweet foods, such as candy, and possibly a beverage such as dessert wine and liqueur. Some cultures sweeten foods that are more commonly savory to create desserts. In some parts of the world there is no tradition of a dessert course to conclude a meal. These parts of the world are boring.

Desserts can include:

Pie, Cake, Ice cream, Fruit, Cheese, Candy, Dessert wine or Liqueur. Or a combination of these.

Some cultures sweeten foods that are more commonly savory to create desserts. For example, candies are normally eaten casually, often with the fingers, as a snack between meals. However, in some cultures, the same food may be a candy in one culture and a dessert in another.

Desserts are typically sweet, but they can also include savory foods like:

Coffee, Cheeses, Nuts, Dried fruits.

Desserts can also be fruity, zesty, or traditional breakfast foods. For example, some people make cheesecakes with less sugar and top them with fresh fruit compote. Other desserts that are not sweet include:

• Ultra dark chocolate
• Panna cotta

When you eat dessert after your meal, it signals to your body a feeling of doneness so that this is less likely to trigger you into mindless snacking.

 

History

The word “dessert” comes from the French word desservir, which means “to clear the table”. The host brings out the dessert after the dinner dishes are removed. The word was first written in 1539. It was used to describe the candied fruits and nuts that guests would eat after a large meal. The word “dessert” was borrowed into English in 1600.

The tradition of finishing a meal with a sweet course originated in France. However, French cookbooks from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance didn’t feature desserts.

The tradition of finishing a meal with a sweet course may date to the 17th century. However, the history of sweet dishes goes back far into human history. For example, as early as 2000 B.C., Egyptians were pairing fruits, honey, and nuts to satisfy their desire for sugar. People in China, Greece, and Rome were also creating their own confections using sesame seeds.

The oldest known dessert recipe is the Linzer Torte, which dates back to 1653. However, dried fruit and honey were probably the first desserts. Ice cream dates back to 3000 BC and may have been the first dessert in the modern sense.

Other early desserts include:

• Asure: Also known as “Noah’s Pudding”, this celebratory dish was prepared by the prophet’s family after surviving the great flood.
• Custard: One of the first desserts eaten in the Middle Ages.
• Apple pie: One of the first desserts made in America, dating back to the 1600s.

In the Old World, desserts included:

Puddings, Tarts, Custards, Wafers, Doughnuts, Pancakes, Marzipan cakes, Compotes, Creams, Fruit cooked in hyppocras, Rice or oat thickened milk, Bread pudding, Fruitcakes, Gingerbread.

Other desserts from the Old World include:

• Rice or oat thickened milk sweetened with honey or sugar and spiced with saffron or cinnamon.
• Bread pudding made with sweet wine, a little sugar or honey and stale bread.
• Candied peels and petals, chocolate sticks, and sugar plums.

In the Middle Ages, desserts were the third or fourth course before leaving the table. Rich people ate desserts like preserved fruits, jelly, and wafers made from batter.

Until the 17th century, desserts were mixed with savory dishes and used as palate cleansers.

 

Here are some other milestones in the history of desserts:

• 1600: A table officer of French nobility created pralines.
• 1700: Eclairs evolved over several hundred years.
• 1837: Alfred Bird invented custard powder.
• 1921: Choc-ices went on sale in the USA.
• 1932: Terry’s Chocolate Orange and All Gold were introduced.
• 1933: Mars bars were first made.

Apple pie was one of the first desserts made in America, dating back to the 1600s. The first instance of apple pie being eaten in America was recorded in 1697 when it was brought over by Swedish, Dutch, and British immigrants.

Here are some other desserts that were made in America:

• Cider cake: Made in the late 18th century by substituting locally made hard cider for imported European brandy and wine.
• Boston Cream Pie: Perfected and popularized around 1850 in the Park House Hotel in Boston.
• Pumpkin pie: One of the first recipes for the classic American pumpkin pie was in the first American cookbook, American Cookery by Amelia Simmons, published in 1796.

Here are some fun facts about desserts:

• Desserts were originally eaten standing away from the table to allow servants to clear up for after dinner activities.
• The first use of desserts was to wash down the aftertaste of a large meal with something sweet.

Some of the most popular desserts in the world include:

• Apple pie
• Tiramisu
• Baklava
• Crème brûlée
• Panna cotta
• Cheesecake
• Mochi

Some of the most expensive desserts in the world include:

• Strawberries Arnaud, $9.85 million
• Three Twins’ Record-Breaking Ice Cream, $60,000
• Lindeth Howe Country House Hotel Pudding, $35,000
• Frrozen Haute Chocolate, $25,000
• Krispy Kreme’s Golden Doughnut, $1,685

The experts say that after lunch is the best time to eat dessert. If you indulge in the afternoon, you have a bit of time to burn off the calories during the rest of the day. You should try and eat dessert an hour after you eat your lunch.

Here are some of the most popular desserts in the world:

Ice cream, Cheesecake, Cream brûlée, Mochi, Apple pie, Chocolate chip cookies, Hummingbird cake, American brownies, Belgian waffles, Tiramisu, S’mores, Portuguese tarts, Banoffee pie, Pavlova.

 

Dessert Consumption

• Social conversations about Dessert have declined by -15.21% over the past year.
• 2% of restaurants offer Dessert on their menus.
• The fastest rising consumer need for Dessert is Snack.
• The dominating diet for Dessert is Vegan.

While most people believe that older people eat dessert most often research shows that people between 25 and 34 eat the most dessert, once a week or more.

 

Celebrating Dessert

National Dessert Day is celebrated on October 14 every year. People celebrate by indulging in desserts at local bakeries, chocolate shops, or grandma’s house.

Here are some tips for hosting a dessert party:

• Start with a theme.
• Offer a variety of desserts.
• Serve small portions.
• Keep it simple.
• Offer a beverage.
• Don’t spend hours baking.
• Send guests home with goodies.

No matter how you celebrate dessert (or when) we’d like to hear what your favorite dessert is. Leave a message in the comments.