Desserted

One of the hallmarks of the modern-day world citizen is her ability to appreciate world cuisine. Though this does not extend to world desserts. Westerners don’t like Indian dessert. This makes sense because Indian dessert does not exist. Indian sweets or mithai are usually offerings of celebration, blessing or devotion. Not post-meal rituals. But stew, if we are to leave the technicalities aside, Indian sweet delights do not get the same traction as the savory sojourns. In general the common American customer will more likely come back for the C.T.M and not the kheer. The question of Chinese or other-Asian dessert is more complex. I don’t like them. By God. But who cares what I think. I’ve found talking to people that Asian desserts are a fairly polarizing force. I havent found anyone who doesn’t have a strong opinion. I either find people who are quick to agree with whole heart or quick to take a dab at my eye with their chopstick. Quite frankly I dont get the whole red-bean/gelatin/egg-custard/stringy-bamboo-extract scene. Then there is bubble tea. A luke-warm dairy-and-bean concoction which you pierce with a piece of PVC-pipe and suck up gelatinous balls through it which are enchantingly called “pearls”. People of all colors and race drink gallons of this stuff in the town of Mountain View, CA. I can’t help but feel ineffectual and deflated at the narrowness of my dessert vision. With considerable frustration and envy I see them doing the sucking motion with their lips and I can tell at what point they have been rewarded with a pearl because at that instant they stop suckling the PVC-pipe for a moment to chew the jelly-like spheres before wolfing down the load and then are at it with renewed vigor leaving me more perplexed still. 

Image Courtesy livestrong.com

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