Dessert is a course that typically comes at the end of a dinner, usually consisting of sweet food but sometimes of a strongly-flavored one, such as some cheeses. The word comes from the Old French desservir, "to clear the table."

The word dessert is most commonly used in Ireland, U.S., Canada, Australia (and in France), while sweet, pudding or afters would be more typical in the UK and some other Commonwealth countries for this course. According to Debrett's, pudding is the proper term, dessert is only to be used if the course consists of fruit, and sweet is colloquial.

Dessert as a standard part of a Western meal is a relatively recent development. Before the 19th-century rise of the middle class, and the mechanization of the sugar industry, sweets were a privilege of the aristocracy, or a rare holiday treat. As sugar became cheaper and more readily available, the development and popularity of desserts spread accordingly.

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L.A. Times - Food & Dining

Recipe: Spicy mac and cheese
Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700
Dear SOS: This past week I dined at the Purple Palm restaurant in the Colony Palms Hotel in Palm Springs. One of their appetizers is "Spicy Macaroni and Cheese." It's nothing like any mac and cheese I've ever eaten. Every mouthful was an adventure. Unfortunately, once my dinner guest tasted it, I was forced to share more than I wanted to. If you could rustle up this recipe, it would be a great addition to my summer barbecues.
Somen: Chilled, the Japanese noodles are a summer delight
Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700
The Japanese eat the wheat noodles out of an ice-water bath, with a variety of condiments. Go ahead and slurp. "When I slurp a bowl of somen noodles it becomes a summer breeze."
The sweet dream team
Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700
Fresh homemade cookies sandwiched with your favorite ice cream: Is there a more scrumptious summer treat? Slap a generous scoop of ice cream between two cookies, tidy up the edges and pop the whole thing in the freezer until it firms up. How difficult can it really be to make a great ice cream sandwich?

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