Sweets from Singapore

The other day my friends returned from their trip to Singapore. They were both born there and moved to the United States later on in life so they make frequent visits to family and friends. I have always been interested in this culture not only for the interesting history and landscape but also for the food! I have sampled many savory noddle dishes prepared by them and they have all been delicious, similar to our version of "Thai cuisine" but with less meat and more vegetables. I however have never been able to taste authentic desserts until now...

These sweets, while very tasty, were waaayyyyyy different then what you and I would consider to be dessert. The container above contains, a pineapple tart (yellow round one), cinnamon cookie (brown round one), chocolate peanut butter cookie (the darker, almost black one), sugar dough twist, and a coconut macaroon (which is of course Americanized). The pineapple one had a jelly filling but I didn't really taste the fruit at all, like the rest of these treats, the flavors were very mild and most of them had a biscuit-like texture. I detected no peanut butter or chocolate in the darker cookie but then again my taste buds kept telling my to expect a Reese's peanut butter cup *face palm. I would have to say my favorite was the sugar dough twist. It was crunchy and firm with a slight sesame flavor, it made me think of those noodles they sometimes serve you with chow mein at Chinese restaurants. When I told my friend that one was my favorite, he smiled and said that was his favorite childhood treat as a kid.

Its fascinating all the different cultures in our world, what we as individuals categorize as "normal" and the guidelines that certain things should fall under. I personally try my best to remain open to try new things and who knows, you might find something you like, even if it's something as simple as sugar and dough.