Savoring Desserts
"By their very nature, sweets are festive, and the arrival of dessert is guaranteed to bring a smile to every face around the table. A piece of perfectly ripe fresh fruit, both healthful and delicious, is one of the most common ways to end a meal in many cultures. But stew juicy apricot slices over ice cream, turn that banana into a fritter or a handful of berries into a cobbler, and a simple refreshment becomes an enticing event. The professional pastry chef and the home baker alike answer our need to celebrate milestones and help us enrich every day with a bit of indulgence, whether it's with a lavishly frosted birthday cake brought home in a string-tied bakery box or a batch of homemade cookies out for an after-school treat. Typically, recipes for desserts celebrate what is available in joyful profusion - hence the abundance of apple pies in New England and coconut-milk puddings in the Philippines - as well as what is rare and worth saving for a very special occasion. Carefully handwritten on index cards or demonstrated by patient aunts and grandmothers, dessert recipes pass along not just the tastes of a family but also the traditions of a culture and a country. A buffet displaying the favorite desserts from around the world would be an irresistible sight. Pie, of course, would hold pride of place on the American table. A sweet whiff of vanilla bean would herald the Mexican table, laden with golden custards, festive Spanish-inspired cakes, and flaky pineapple turnovers. In Asia, we would discover bite-sized Chinese dumplings rolled in sesame seeds and stuffed with spoonfuls of sweet lotus-seed paste. In Europe, we find both elaborate creations and humble homemade desserts, from glossy, jewel-bright French fruit tarts to simple bread puddings. In the following pages, we discover the unique elements of these diverse culinary contributions, as well as their similarities. Differences can be as much geographic as cultural. Desserts are influenced by how they are prepared and how they are sweetened. In this collection, you'll find recipes from around the world for every occasion - the perfect way to commemorate a holiday, celebrate a birthday, or just sweeten the enjoyment of a wonderful day."--adapted from Introduction, pages 6 and 9.