The tradition of sharing sweet foodstuffs dates back to ancient times, when they were presented as offerings to the gods or served at the end of feasts.
In the Middle Ages, sweet dishes were often made from dried fruits or honey. Although European sugar manufacturing began during the same time, the cost of sugar limited its use to wealthy households and special occasions.
Today, concluding a meal with something sweet is commonplace in cultures around the world. In Key West, where early settlers came from many cultures and brought their culinary traditions with them, a variety of diverse desserts became popular.
Several play a pivotal role in the Key West Cooking Show’s learn-and-dine classes, designed to showcase dishes that help define the island’s multicultural cuisine and heritage. Chef-storytellers explain the sweet treats’ “backstories” and demonstrate their preparation, while class attendees enjoy their tantalizing tastes.
Among the Cooking Show’s palate-pleasing desserts is the caramel-flavored Tia’s flan. The name is particularly appropriate, since “tia” is Spanish for “aunt,” and the recipe was provided by a longstanding Key West family’s cherished aunt.
Featuring a creamy custard base and caramelized sugar topping, it’s simple yet elegant — the perfect dessert to end a traditional Cuban meal. While the original recipe for flan was developed long ago in Europe, the Cuban version features the addition of sweetened condensed and evaporated milk, making the delicacy extra rich and velvety.
Guava bread pudding, too, is demonstrated and served during Cooking Show experiences. Distinct from the classic Bahamian dessert called guava duff, the luscious pudding blends the flavors of buttery bread and ripe guava into an irresistible indulgence. Cubed bread is soaked in a custard that includes guava marmalade and a hint of vanilla, and the resulting concoction is baked and topped with additional guava marmalade.
No discussion of Key West desserts would be complete without spotlighting Key lime pie, renowned as the island’s most famous indigenous confection. Its origin story, lore and preparation tips are revealed during “bite-sized” classes at the Cooking Show’s 291 Front St. location. Participants savor slices of the island-born pie while learning how to prepare its graham cracker crust, creamy yet tart Key lime filling, and light-as-air meringue topping.
Other traditional desserts are featured in the “Key West Woman’s Club Cookbook,” a venerable volume whose focus on heritage recipes helped inspire the Cooking Show’s culinary direction. They include Mrs. Truman’s Pudding — an apple-pecan delicacy shared by the wife of President Harry Truman, who spent nearly six months of his 1945-53 administration in the island city.
Last Bites
Dish of the week: mango sherbert. Found in the “Key West Woman’s Club Cookbook,” this recipe combines the pulp of locally-grown ripe mangoes with homemade sugar syrup, ginger ale and Key lime juice — resulting in a smooth and mouthwatering frozen delight.
Helpful kitchen hack: When a dessert recipe calls for separate egg yolks and whites, use the eggshell as a separating tool. Gently crack each egg in half over a bowl, and repeatedly pass the yolk back and forth between the two shell halves while letting the egg white drip into the bowl.
Hungry for more? Visit keywestcookingshow.com or call 305-294-COOK.
