Desserts From Around the World. have always been a part of the American lifestyle; with all of the different customs, American

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1 May 1 Jordan May Ms. Dasher British Literature and Composition 9 December 2013 Desserts From Around the World America is such a diverse country, filled with many cultures and nationalities. Desserts have always been a part of the American lifestyle; with all of the different customs, American desserts have blended with many other cultures to create a unique combination. Since the beginning of its foundation, America has incorporated numerous cultures with its own. America is a melting pot and its diversity is what makes it such a great country. Today, there is no "typical" American stereotype because it's so diverse. The different cultures have influenced everything; from food, to music, to clothing. America is a melting pot that keeps growing with new cultures and nationalities. Cuisine has always been a part of culture. Food is a way to express one s nationality, culture, heritage, and creativity. Cuisine has been around forever; however up until recently, the quality of food has always been to represent how wealthy one is. Since the 1900 s, many people eat or have eaten extravagant dishes. However, the quality of food has evolved. Food now, that is considered common quality would be considered high quality back then. Cuisine used to just be about satisfying hunger and receiving enough fuel to get through the day. Now, cuisine is a social fab. Eating is a sign of social interaction, money, and the ability to fit in with locals. Desserts have evolved a lot since they first started out. When desserts first appeared, they were not for the common people. Desserts were always for the higher class, for the people who could enjoy social life. In ancient civilizations, people enjoyed dried fruits, honeycomb, or nuts. These

2 May 2 were considered the first candies. However, when sugar began to be manufactured in the middle ages more sweet desserts became available. The sugar then was so expensive usually only the wealthy could indulge on special occasions. Since the founding of sugar, desserts have evolved into cakes, pastries, pies, and many other loved sweets. America was discovered in 1492 by a Spanish explorer, Christopher Columbus. He actually landed on what is now Cuba, but believed it was India. However, the Spanish were not the first inhabitants of the Americas. Native Americans have called North America their home for thousands of years before any explorers from Europe arrived. It all began with the ice age, about 30,000 years ago the world started to freeze. The ice age was called the Pleistoscene, and it created a huge freeze of ocean waters. The oceans were frozen to such an extent that the water levels dropped 300ft lower than what they are today. With the low water levels, this exposed a piece of land in between Russia and Alaska called the Bering Strait. The first inhabitants of the western world were Eskimo. Eskimo is a name for indigenous peoples, who traditionally inhabited the circumpolar region of eastern Siberia (Russia), Alaska, and Greenland. Over time, the Eskimo people migrated south and evolved into what we call now, Native Americans. Some even moved as far down south to what is now Mexico and South America. These Native Americans have evolved, adapted, and changed their cultures to fit their surroundings. With these cultural adaptations, Native Americans have found ways to incorporate different tools and food sources into their lifestyle. America is still considered a young nation since it was only founded roughly 400 years ago. Other nations have been around for thousands of years. As time went by, just like any other nation, America's culture has evolved. When America was founded, English, French, and Spanish were the original European countries to rule. Where these countries inhabited their first

3 May 3 colonies really has shown. On the eastern border of the United Sates is where the English first settled. One can tell by looking at all the culture the English have influenced on that area. The crops grown, the buildings, and food, all are influenced by the English. The Spanish however, settled in southern Florida, and along the coastlines of Texas and Mexico. The Spanish eventually migrated inward to what we call now, the mid western area of the United States. The Spanish have greatly influenced culture in those areas. There are a big amount of Hispanics in southern Florida, and in Texas. Also, in the mid-west, there is a tremendous amount of Spanish influence. The food is greatly influenced by the Spanish. Mexico is a mostly all Spanishspeaking country. Also, in South America, nearly the entire country is Spanish speaking, which tells us that they migrated down south as well. The French chose to stay up in the northern part of North America, in what we call now Canada. A great part of Canada is French speaking. The French also settled in Louisiana. In Louisiana, the food is greatly influenced by French culture. The traditions of Louisiana are also influenced by the French. A great part of Louisianans have what Americans call a "Cajun Accent" which is derived from the French language. American culture is influenced by many other nationalities. American food is also influenced by different cultures. Desserts have always been a part of the American culture. When people think of American desserts they usually think of pies, ice cream, cakes, and cookies. The first dessert to really emerge as the "All American" dessert was pie. There are many variations of the pie today, but it originated in England around the 14th century. It started out with meat and then in the 16th century fruit pies became common. A writer at Colombia University goes further into the history of desserts in one of their articles, "In England meat and fish pies had become common by the 14th cent., and fruit pies, often called tarts, by the 16th cent. The mince pie was an important feature of the Christmas festivities and was called superstitious pie by the Puritans

4 May 4 in protest against what seemed to them a pagan manner of celebrating a holy feast. The mincemeat filling was a finely chopped, cooked mixture including raisins, currants, apples, suet, sugar, spice, and often meat, brandy or cider, candied peel, and other ingredients. The English settlers in North America retained their taste for pie and adapted it to their new conditions, creating the pumpkin and the cranberry pies. Pie has remained a popular dessert in the United States. In Italy, pie, or pizza, consists, in its most basic form, of a spread of dough covered with tomatoes and mozzarella cheese and baked in an oven." (Colombia University). Cakes and cookies also originated in England. In England, the cookie is called a biscuit. The cookie also came from France; in France they have a sort of cookie called a macaroon. Ice cream however, can be dated back to 3000B.C, and is still enjoyed all around the world. Many American desserts were brought over by the Europeans, and they incorporated a lot of their styles to baking goods. Europe is made up of numerous countries. From England, to Russia, to Greece, to Spain, they all have their own unique twist on the desserts that we love. Chocolate is often incorporated in central European countries like France, Germany, and Switzerland. Cakes are found in England, Greece, France, Germany, and Switzerland, and Russia. While pastries and cream filled delicacies are found in Greece, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Russia, and England. The Middle Eastern countries like Iraq and Pakistan have desserts with a more nutty taste. They often incorporate rosewater, nuts, and pastry dough. There are also a lot of syrups and jellies. In India, the desserts incorporate rice, puddings, nuts, and fruits. In the Mediterranean countries like Spain and Greece, desserts are more bread based. In Greece, there are a lot of desserts that are cookies, cakes, and pastries. In Spain, there are fruits, nuts and honey incorporated into the desserts. Many of the desserts we have in America are influenced by European desserts. Noa Lior and Tara Steele write more about Spanish cuisine in their article, "Spain's food is made with an

5 May 5 interesting assortment of ingredients. Some ingredients are originally from Spain, while others were brought to the country by the different peoples who conquered it. Moors, for example, brought oranges, lemons, sugar, and rice from their African homeland. Spanish explorers brought chocolate, potatoes, peppers, and tomatoes back with them from conquered territories overseas." (Lior). Asia is a region that consists of many different countries. From the mainland of China, to the pacific islands like Thailand and Japan, Asian countries each have their own unique styles and traditions. In Asia, a different twist is put on desserts. In China fruits and nuts are greatly used. Coconut is a flavor that is widely used in all Asian desserts. Asians also use puddings, rice, and gelatins. Other countries also use Asian styles to put a twist on their own desserts, "Some chefs use green tea powder from Asian markets or restaurant supply houses for their brulees, while others steep tea leaves in boiling milk. With the exception of brulees, however, meal tappers within the segments differ wildly as dessert makers combine traditional Asian items -- such as citrus, sweet red beans, seaweed gelatin and lychee -- with Western foods, including dairy products." (Liddle). In the Pacific Island regions like Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia, also include a wide variety of fruits and nuts. Each country's desserts are different because they all incorporate that island's specific fruit or ingredient. Other Islands like the Bahamas and Hawaii are more like the United States' desserts. They have cakes and chocolate, but they also stick with the typical island dessert by incorporating fruits and honey to them. As for Australia, it is a tropical country, but it has more of an African twist to it. It keeps the fruits and nuts of Asia, but it also has the cakes and pastries of Europe. The British were the first to colonize Australia and New Zealand; so it is only natural that they should have European influences. As for Africa, they have pastries, pies and cakes also. In one of her articles, writer

6 May 6 Elizabeth Scott comments on African cuisine, "In addition to plants originally domesticated in Africa, Africans readily incorporated food crops from Asia (such as bananas and coconuts) and those that had been brought back from Aiperica centuries earlier (maize and manioc)." (Scott). Like Australia, the British colonized Africa, so that is why there are cakes in Africa. If the British had not colonized perhaps the Africans might have used more fruits and natural plants like some of the other countries. Africa does use fruits and nuts in their desserts, just not as much as an island country would. As for the South American countries; since it was the Spanish who colonized it, they have a more Hispanic influence on the desserts there. Spanish desserts incorporate milks, cakes, nuts and other hearty flavors. "Timothy Gee, executive chef at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, in New Brunswick, N.J., has offered a variety of Latin American desserts, including duke de leche rice pudding, flan and tres leches. It allows us the opportunity to give customers something different and exciting," says Gee, who hosts international theme days featuring desserts." (Parham). As time goes on, things change. Over time cuisine has changed in many ways. Starting out plain and ordinary, desserts have evolved into unique dishes filled with numerous ingredients. However, desserts have always stayed with one generic culture. For example desserts are either French, Spanish, Greek and so on. Although things change, desserts will always have their cultural ties. However, I predict that in the future, desserts will be universal. French, Spanish, and all other desserts will be found in every country.i predict that desserts will also incorporate numerous cultures in one dish. Desserts will also be more extravagant, by taste and execution. As the years progress, cultures, lifestyles, and cuisine will evolve into an extraordinary combination of uniqueness, skill, and creativity.

7 May 7 America is such a diverse country. It has many different nationalities, and people of different ethnicities. America is greatly influenced by the countries around it. Since America has such a diverse population, it will continue to evolve and change with every new culture. As America has grown it has absorbed some of the cultures that influenced it. With new nationalities always appearing, America will always have its true influence that started it all. Spain, England, and France have greatly influenced America s food, culture, and ways of life. Those three countries were and are still, the main influence for other countries around the world. Although time moves on, America, and the world, will always be evolving cuisine. It is a part of our culture, and it will always be diverse, like the world we live in.

8 May 8 Works Cited Columbia University, Press. "Pie." Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6Th Edition (2013): 1. History Reference Center. Web. 14 Nov Liddle, Alan. "Asian Dessert Fusion: A Sweet Success." Nation's Restaurant News (1994): 23. Business Source Complete. Web. 14 Nov Lior, Noa, and Tara Steele. "A Taste Of Spain." Spain: The People (2002): History Reference Center. Web. 20 Nov Parham, Kate. "Global Desserts." Foodservice Director 26.9 (2013): 46. Business Source Complete. Web. 14 Nov Scott, Elizabeth M. "The Early American Table: Food And Society In The New World./African American Foodways: Explorations Of History And Culture." Winterthur Portfolio 44.4 (2010): Literary Reference Center. Web. 20 Nov