Rules of the dessert kingdom

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There was bedlam in the royal kitchens. The prince had asked for a new dessert to be created — a cake. But the head chef was sick and the royal cooks were in a quandary. Who would create something good enough to grace the table of Prince Clemens Lothar Wensel Metternich of Austria? It was then that a 16-year-old apprentice chef created a chocolate sponge cake that would become the talk of all Austria and indeed the world. The pastry chef’s name was Franz Sacher and the chocolate layered cake was the Sacher Torte.

The cake was a gastronomic marvel — rich chocolate, filled with apricot jam, iced with velvet-like chocolate and served with a side dish of whipped cream. That was 1832 and history tells us that even though the craving for dessert existed since the early beginnings of humanity, it was only the affluent who could afford to indulge their sweet cravings till technological advances in sugar production allowed for its more widespread distribution.

Today, having a sweet after your meal is more or less power for the course. So, when you are confronted by a dessert fork and spoon on your place setting, which one should you use? The answer to that depends on what you’re eating. If, for instance, you are attacking a firm dessert such as a dense cake or a poached pear, the fork is used for eating and the spoon for pushing and cutting. On the other hand, custards, ice creams and soft desserts would require the use of only a spoon. Cakes, crepes and so on if served a la mode — that is with ice cream — may be eaten with either implement or with both. If you are served a layered cake with the slice upright, the correct etiquette is to first turn it on its side, using your dessert fork and spoon. And when dessert is done, place both implements together on your plate in the six o’clock position.

The etiquette that goes into eating a good dessert is what finally counts. No wolfing it down as if you were starving to death — it should be looked at, admired and finally savoured. British chef and televis-ion personality, Graham Kerr put it very well when he stated, “I prefer to regard a des-sert as I would imagine the perfect woman: subtle, a little bitter sweet, not blowsy and extrovert. Delicately made up, not highly rouged. Holding back, not exposing everything and of course, with a flavour that lasts.’’

Short and Sweet
* You have the option of using two implements for dessert. Traditionally the fork was used in the left hand as an anchor to hold foods while the spoon would scoop each bite. This is something that you still can do.
* If you have something like cheese cake, pie or cake, use a fork. Soft desserts require the use of a spoon.
* the implements stay on the plate Between bites.

Dessert with Bill & Sheila

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