The donut that almost became the official dessert of Hanukkah—if the economy hadn't gotten in the way.
A regional Mexican specialty rapidly fading from collective memory. And a ubiquitous Christmas cake tradition in a country that’s less than 1% Christian.
These are the dessert origins and quirky backstories that we found when we asked writers, cookbook authors, and community members to help us paint the pictures of what's baking in many corners of the world.
Here are all 16 1/2 stories. (Oh, and that half? A lovable so-much-cream-it's-basically-dessert cocktail). Actual illustrations by the talented Julia Rothman.
The 15th-Century Christmas Cookie Pâtisseries Make All Year
Pâtisserie Lerch was not the kind of place to make any Paris must-go lists. But it was where Dorie Greenspan first discovered leckerli: the honey-sweet, spiced cookie native to Alsace and Switzerland. In her words, it was “love at first nibble.”
How One South African Dessert Rose to Icon Status—in Only 40 Years
Malva pudding is a South African favorite: It crops up in cookbooks well-known and obscure, in restaurants large and small. Families speak of recipes passed down through generations. But for all of the origin theories behind this iconic, deeply-rooted dessert, it turns out that it's probably younger than you—and almost definitely younger than your parents.
The Finest and Richest of All German Lebkuchen
According to Luisa Weiss, most of Germany heads to the kitchen to bake Christmas cookies in late November—even those who spend the rest of the year on the opposite side of the house. These Elisenlebkuchen will find their place in gifts and on Advent Sunday tables all month long.
"Problem Solving Nuts" for Shab-e-Yalda, the Longest, Darkest Night
Food of Oman author Felicia Campbell writes of Shab-e-Yalda, when Persian families celebrate the longest, darkest night of the year by gathering at the oldest matriarch's home. This year will be her first, full of fortune-reading, dancing, and feasting on Ajil-e Moshkel Gosha, or ”problem solving nuts"—good luck to anyone who eats them.
The Case For a Three-Irish-Cream Kind of Afternoon
So it’s not as easy—or romantic—to summon a mental image of a great Irish writer bellying up to a bar and requesting a... glass of Irish cream. Here's to doing it anyway. (Rosie Schaap's shockingly simple recipe will make it worth your while.)
Why Sfenj Couldn't Be the Official Dessert of Hanukkah
There's a doughnut that's far simpler to make, and just as good, as the sufganiyot, Hanukkah's official dessert. But the harder, more involved doughnut is the one you'll find in bakeries and kitchens worldwide. Why? It all has to do with the economy.
A Christmas Cake Tradition in a Country That (Mostly) Doesn't Observe Christmas
Japanese Christmas cakes start hitting stores as early as mid-October. (All the stores: Even convenience stores sell their own delightful renditions.) Sarah Baird tells the story of how an American-inspired tradition became a wholly Japanese holiday ritual.
The Indian Dessert That Requires A Winter’s Moonlight
Each year by Early November, sweet-makers in Northern India start producing this harbinger of winter—and legend has it it’s the moonlight that's the key to its success. Lathika George takes us to Old Delhi’s historic Moonlit Market, Chandni Chowk.
The Dying Art of Isla Flotante
Why is this regional specialty—an ethereally light cousin to tres leches—rapidly fading from collective memory? Michael Snyder travels to Mexico to find out, and brings us a recipe passed down from 86-year-old local Mimy Aguilera Contreras (pictured above).
A Sugar-Dusted, Liquor-Soaked Vestige of the Roman Carnival
While most traditions around the now-defunct Roman Carnival have died off, some reminders live on—like these fried, chestnut-shaped doughnuts rolled in sugar and soaked in liquor. Thanks to Katie Parla’s recipe, you don’t have to head to the queue in Italy to take part.
A Chinese Dumpling for Good Fortune and Joy in the New Year
The Lunar New Year, which culminates with the Lantern Festival, is the biggest holiday celebration of the year in China. And eating tang yuan is a crucial part: The chewy dumplings in a mildly sweet broth symbolize togetherness—and then all but disappear from the streets when the festivities end. Laura Shunk tracks them and their story down in Beijing.