Dessert

Lore & Background

The term 'dessert' originated from the French word desservir, meaning 'to clear the table', and it referred to the final course of the meal, presented after the table was 'cleared' (deservi). In later centuries, the term continued to refer to the last course of the meal. In the late 19th century, the word 'desserts' also came to refer to the dishes served in the dessert course. Historically, the dessert course consisted entirely of foods 'from the storeroom' (de l'office), including fresh, stewed, preserved, and dried fruits; nuts; cheese and other dairy dishes; dry biscuits (cookies) and wafers; and ices and ice creams. Sweet dishes from the kitchen, such as freshly prepared pastries, meringues, custards, puddings, and baked fruits, were served in the entremets course, not in the dessert course. By the 20th century, though, sweet entremets had come to be included among the desserts. The modern term dessert can apply to many sweets, including fruit, custards, gelatins, puddings, biscuits, cookies, macaroons, pastries, pies, tarts, cakes, ice creams, and sweet soups. Sweets were fed to the gods in ancient Mesopotamia and ancient India and other ancient civilizations. Herodotus mentions that Persian meals featured many desserts, and were more varied in their sweet offerings than the main dishes. German army officer Helmuth von Moltke whilst serving in the Ottoman Empire noted the unusual presentation of courses with the sweet courses served between roasts and other savory dishes. Dried fruit and honey were probably the first sweeteners used in most of the world, but the spread of sugarcane around the world was essential to the development of dessert.

Reader's Guide

Dessert represents a significant cultural and culinary concept, evolving from a simple final course of preserved fruits and cheeses to a diverse category encompassing cakes, puddings, confections, and frozen treats. Its etymology from the French 'desservir' (to clear the table) highlights its original role as the concluding course after the table was cleared. The historical distinction between 'dessert' (storeroom items) and 'entremets' (kitchen sweets) blurred by the 20th century, leading to the modern inclusive definition. The Industrial Revolution enabled mass-production of processed and frozen desserts, popularized from the 1920s. Desserts vary widely across cultures, with some regions having no tradition of a dessert course, while others feature sweet courses between roasts. The term 'dessert' is most commonly used in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United States, while synonyms like 'pudding', 'sweet', and 'afters' are used in the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth countries. Key ingredients include various sugars, flours, fats, dairy, eggs, and flavorings, with proportions and methods determining texture and flavor.

Did You Know?

• The term 'dessert' originated from the French word 'desservir', meaning 'to clear the table'.
• Historically, sweet dishes from the kitchen were served in the entremets course, not in the dessert course, until the 20th century.