Skipping dessert to eat a bit healthier and cut some calories in the new year? Attention, chocoholics and ice cream lovers. There’s no need to go completely cold turkey on the cakes, cookies, pies and frozen treats if you adopt dessert-savvy dining strategies.
Dessert first
Prioritizing your craving for something sweet is the first step. Chances are if you try to ignore dessert’s siren song, it may re-emerge as a bonbon binge gone bad. In fact, registered dietitian Jill Melton, editor of Relish Magazine, says she asks waiters to see the dessert menu first.
“They may think I’m a bit crazy, but I want to know what’s on the dessert menu before I order anything else,” Melton says. “That way, I know not to get an indulgent appetizer to start. I’ll save my calories for dessert, thank you.”
Sarah Koob thinks about dessert first, too. Of course, she’s the executive pastry chef at Canoe and creates all of the tempting treats for the restaurant. “Dessert is a forethought here at Canoe, not an afterthought,” Koob says.
Her desserts change with seasons, just like the rest of the menu, and she takes her cue from the savory side, “What are the appetizers, entrees and specials on the menu, and how can dessert complement the guest experience?”
The nutty, slightly sweet flavors of pistachios are her inspiration now with a pistachio brown butter cake, pistachio butter cream stuffed macaroons with candied blood orange compote, and a roasted pistachio ice cream on the winter dessert menu. She says, “The flavors with all nuts are enhanced when roasted because the aromatics and the oils release their flavors.”
More than sweet
While most folks think the primary purpose of dessert is to satisfy the sweet tooth, pastry chefs know that other flavors including salty, sour, bitter and sometimes a little heat (think chile-spiced chocolate) combine to make a truly memorable dessert.
“I think in every aspect you want to (taste) the true flavors such as lemon or lime with tart and bright clean flavors. Or really taste the peanut butter or chocolate distinctively,” Koob says. “Sweet is the backbone, but you don’t want to taste just sugar.”
One of the strategies for long-term weight control success is to slow down and truly savor the flavors in our foods so you’re satisfied with sensible portions. (Just like those French women, who don’t get fat.)
The same goes for dessert, which is the last bite, even if it was the first thought: “Dessert, I think, adds a crescendo and a grand finale for the meal,” says Koob, who offers an orchestra of choices including warm Apple-Cinnamon Crumble Tart, Popcorn Ice Cream Sundae and a selection of seasonal sorbets.
It’s your choice if you want to savor your own dessert or share a few selections with multiple spoons for the table.
