Dessert has something special, different from any other preparation. It doesn’t matter so much whether it is sweet or salty, hot or cold, in a cake or a chocolate, but rather what it represents. And a dessert represents that moment of closure, of intense and tasty final touch to a meal where the best is saved for last.
Within the world of desserts, there is a huge variety of types, flavors, sizes, and textures. We could write lines and lines dedicated to these delicacies, but we will focus on some essential elements, such as the origin of this custom of having something sweet after eating, the main desserts of Spanish and Asturian gastronomy, and other curious facts.
The origin of the dessert
Everything has a beginning. And although surely before the ancient Romans someone took the habit of finishing meals with some fruit, it is in imperial Rome, the most influential civilization in our days of all those that existed, that is attributed with the establishment of dessert as one more element within lunches or dinners. Indeed, the sweet was already known and prepared with honey centuries before, but the act of eating it after a meal is a Roman custom.
Therefore, we see that in addition to the alphabet we use, our language, the bases of law, and an infinite number of architectural, political, and artistic elements, we also owe the dessert to the Romans of two thousand years ago.
Going to Ancient Rome, it is easy to find great banquets, with countless different preparations. During these feasts and between courses, to cleanse the mouth of the taste of the previous one and not mask the delights of the next, sweets and fruits were served, which were also enjoyed at the end of the evening.
Like so many things, the Roman practice of snacking on something sweet between courses has evolved to the present day as the custom of eating something sweet – or salty – at the end of the meal. So we can say that what the Romans two millennia ago called secundae mensae today is what we know as dessert.
As far as its etymology is concerned, the term dessert comes from the French word desservir. Its meaning comes to be that cleaning the table, is equivalent to it being the last meal that is eaten.
an art
As we said before, dessert can be the best moment of the meal. Whether alone or accompanied, enjoying a delicious cake or a sweet chocolate is the best possible ending. And it doesn’t matter what we want to call it, whether confectionery or pastry, but the art of making desserts has gained in importance over the last few decades and is a very important part of gastronomic culture.
When we talk about art, to refer to the preparation of desserts, we are not exaggerating. Absolutely. Although it is ephemeral, since its essence is that it is enjoyed eating, the time, effort, and innovation that goes into the entire process of preparing certain desserts is simply spectacular.
There are recipes for cakes, tarts, or chocolates with decades, even centuries of history. Today, tradition and innovation play a fundamental role, since their union is one of the keys to success. Some confectioners we go to to buy desserts for those special occasions have the knowledge and tradition of several generations of master craftsmen.
“It should be noted that there is a great industry behind baking and that Spain is a world power. The Spanish chef, Jordi Roca, holds the award for “best pastry chef in the world” and is a benchmark when it comes to innovation in the art of dessert.”
What type of dessert do you like the most?
Throughout our planet, some preparations are considered authentic delicacies in the world of sweets. There is no better way to talk about desserts, their origin, and variety than by taking a trip around the globe and seeing some of the most famous preparations.
In France, there is a lot of fame and tradition in the world of dessert. It is not surprising, therefore, that its variety and excellence are beyond doubt. In the neighboring country, we have, among others, the origin of crepes, mousse, crème brûlée, or muffins.
A little further north, in Germany, there is a large jungle that gives its name to one of the most recognized desserts of its gastronomic culture: the black forest. Continuing the trip through Europe, if someone passes through Austria they cannot leave without trying a typical Sacher cake, since the mixture of sponge cake and chocolate is unique. The waffle, already so widespread throughout the world, is a Belgian sweet. Not to mention the exquisite Italian artisan ice cream.
