Dessert

I am not, as a rule, fond of Indian food. I like curry, on occasion, and naan is a true gift, but if given a choice of a variety of cultural cuisines, Indian food will rarely be my first pick.

However.

Nobody does desserts better than the nation of India. Better than German cakes; better than Swiss chocolates; better than French truffles or coffee-infused Italian confections are buttery, overwhelmingly sweet comestables from India. Soan Papdi is little more than clarified butter and sugar, and yet has the consintency of a fluffy croissant. The astonishing contrivance called Gulub Jamoon is a deep-fried ball of batter swimming in rose-flavored sugar syrup. Rasgulla has a similar shape and presentation to Gulub Jamoon, complete with sugar syrup, but is made from a sweet cottage cheese and is not fried. Kaju Katli, a cashew fudge the consistency of marzipan, lavishly decorated with silver or gold leaf is dense and decadent. And if you’re missing a chilled dessert, Kulfi is a rich, eggless ice cream which I’ve only ever had in pistachio flavor and wouldn’t want any other way.

I do like chocolate butter cream cake, and apple or cherry pie, and truffles and tiramisu and vanilla ice cream; but if I had to pick a single country from which to select desserts for the rest of my life, it would without doubt be India. The variety of delectables they’ve made from milk is alone enough to satisfy the sweetest of teeth. I only wish I could get Soan Papdi that hasn’t been destroyed by delivery; it’s a delicate dish, and often arrives as Soan Papdi powder, but even ruined by coarse handling it melts on your tongue and when you find an intact piece it’s an incredible gustatory experience.