Swide Magazine by Dolce&Gabbana

I have always had a sweet tooth. Since I was a child, growing up in Porto in the North of Portugal, I have been mesmerised by what we can create and stimulate with that most wonderful ingredient, sugar.

My first experience of this alchemy was with my grandmother and her desserts, so yellow and light,made with fluffy eggs and sugar.

Then later, by the recipes of other people from other places or backgrounds. Now, I am fascinated by how desserts possess so much significance in different societies and can unveil, not only sensations in our palates and minds, but also create lasting impressions of the history of a country and its people. As far back as ancient Rome we can see the introduction of the Kydonion syn Meliti on the Imperial menu – a recipe for honeyed stewed quince - originally from Greece. Its origin is due to the fact that most slaves who worked in the kitchens were Greek and brought their own culinary heritage which slowly got introduced in the meals of the court. I adore this crossover of cultural influences in the kitchen, and the vital part in the creation of a dish which became infused in the gastronomic culture of another country.

 

Fatias Tomar

Today we can see the echoes of this ancient dessert in dishes such as Mela cotogna con miele or Mela cotogna al vino bianco – both desserts made out of slowly stewed quince, the first one made with honey, the last stewed in white wine.

 

Stewed Quince

Closer to home, I was deeply aware of the puddings that formed the basis for the desserts I enjoyed every day with my family. In the Portuguese convents and monasteries of the 16th century, a new and unique dessert style was born out of the religious practices of the time. Then, egg yolks were a frequent bi-product of egg white usage in wine production and as a habit stiffener for monks and nuns. Reluctant to waste this bounty, the monks and nuns started to devise desserts to use the surplus yolks. Combining egg yolks with the produce from inland, like the citrus fruits, almonds and the spices which arrived from the World voyages, a new range of puddings and cakes were created giving rise to the “Portuguese Conventional Desserts”. I find there is a subliminal symbiosis between different religions here too: the Catholic establishment creating desserts which are composed with ingredients from far away as well as those from further inland such as almonds and citrus fruits, which were the legacy of the Moors’ occupation of the 10th century. These delicacies were well-kept secrets and can be seen in the iconography of every region in  Portugal.

Many remain completely unaltered today, such as the Fatias de Tomar, a 24 egg, sugar and orange blossom syrup delicacy, created at the Convent of Christ in the city of Tomar, and serve inspiration for the rich, egg based cakes that fill Portuguese patisseries today. Further east in 18th century Russia, the kitchens of the palace of Peter the Great started creating dishes inspired by the culture of Germany, France and Austria, due to the Czar’s fascination for all things Western European. By the reign of Alexander I, (1801-1825) we see the French Chef Marie-Antoine Carême being employed by the court,bringing her culinary expertise and creativity into Russia.

The Charlotte Russe,made with ladyfingers, cream and fruit purée, is one of her creations, drawing inspiration from a range of European gastronomic traditions, including Germany with its use of crème bavaroise and the traditional fruit purée style from Austria.

Charlotte Russe

This delicious pudding is still part of modern Russian cuisine. And even today, in my own kitchen I find myself inspired by people who share their own heritage with me. My own dishes are the result of a fusion, like the time I have added rhubarb into the sweetest of all Portuguese puddings. This English staple added an extra dimension to such a sweet dessert, made it balanced with equal tones of sweet and sour. Every single one of the ancient desserts has played a vital role in the enrichment of their country's own cuisine. I hope some of mine will too.

Text by Mighel de Almeida, follow him on his blog westcoastcooking

Photo credits: Miguel de Almeida

TAGS: miguel de almeida westcoastcooking blogger food blog ancient desserts charlotte russe Fatias tomar stewed quince lela cotogna honey delicacies greece portugal tradition catholice christian recipes egg yolks history origin portuguese marie-antoinette creme bavaroise czar careme portuguese conventual desserts pudding goods food