# Your country's national dessert **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 12, 2007, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-countrys-national-dessert/429714 "2007-12-12T05:46:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-countrys-national-dessert/429714/41 "2007-12-12T17:07:34Z")
I think I would hate pavlova, because I’m not a big fan of meringue. I can tolerate it in thin layers on lemon meringue pie (That’s another all american dessert), but an 8 inch pile of the sulphury fluff?..hell no. Chocolate chip cookies (Tollhouse cookies) should also be mentioned as an American dessert/snack. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-countrys-national-dessert/429714/42 "2007-12-12T17:14:35Z")
[QUOTE=C3] My husband’s favorite dessert is Pavlova (he’s Australian), so I’ve gotten quite good at making them. I usually order cans of passion fruit pulp from the Australian Catalogue Company. I’ve made it quite a few times for potlucks, etc. here in the U.S. and it _always_ gets rave reviews. People love it and several have asked for the recipe. Here in the American South, there’s a little pocket of people sitting around eating Pavlova and listening to Weddings Parties Anything. [hijack]There’s a bar we used to frequent in Coastal South Carolina that allowed you to bring in your own CDs for the juke box. My husband brought WPA and we left it there when we moved. It had become a bar favorite and everyone used to sing along to _Ticket in Tatts_.[/hijack] **GingeroftheNorth** , banana pudding? Really? I’m from MD and we did used to eat banana pudding every once in awhile (the recipe from the back of the Nilla Wafer box), but I had no idea that was a Maryland thing. I’m not sure what I would pick instead, though. [/QUOTE] It may not be a Maryland thing - I think it’s a Southern thing - but I’d never heard of it until I came here, and it’s everywhere you go. Buffets, potlucks, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Panurge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@Panurge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panurge)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-countrys-national-dessert/429714/43 "2007-12-12T17:34:42Z")
Probably _Rødgrød med fløde_, which is not only a dessert but also a horrible tongue-twister that my compatriots make ferriners pronounce (wrongly) for cheap laughs. [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%B8dgr%C3%B8d_med_fl%C3%B8de) has an audio sample so you can try it out for yourself! I’m willing to bet that you won’t even come close. ETA: IPA: [ˈʁɶð̪ˀˌg̊ʁɶð̪ˀ mɛ ˈflø:ð]̪̩ - wow! I didn’t know I could say _that_ . ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-countrys-national-dessert/429714/44 "2007-12-12T17:34:52Z")
Pavlova reminds me of [Baked Alaska](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baked_alaska). That’s one of those American desserts that seems to have peaked in popularity back in our parents day. It was one of thos hoity-toity, special, gourmet desserts, I remember it was always featured in cartoons and TV shows and stories and used as an epitomous height of fancy desertdom. I’ve actually presented and flambe’d a Beautiful Giant Baked Alaska in my serving days. It’s actually pretty tasty, but again, I’m not a big fan of the meringue. Just assume try a [Cookie Puss](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cookie_Puss) or [Fudgie the Whale](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fudgie_the_Whale), but alas there are no Carvel’s in my area. ---
**Author:** ![Labtrash](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/labtrash/32/528_2.png) [@Labtrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labtrash)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-countrys-national-dessert/429714/45 "2007-12-12T17:55:24Z")
I found [this list of “official” state foods](http://www.netstate.com/states/tables/state_food.htm) and [this other one](http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodfaq4.html#official). Not a lot of desserts listed, but Boston Cream Pie for Massachusetts seems a great big DUH. ---
**Author:** ![ThirdCultureKid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbce88/32.png) [@ThirdCultureKid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThirdCultureKid)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-countrys-national-dessert/429714/46 "2007-12-12T17:59:33Z")
[QUOTE=Panurge] Probably _Rødgrød med fløde_, which is not only a dessert but also a horrible tongue-twister that my compatriots make ferriners pronounce (wrongly) for cheap laughs. [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%B8dgr%C3%B8d_med_fl%C3%B8de) has an audio sample so you can try it out for yourself! I’m willing to bet that you won’t even come close. ETA: IPA: [ˈʁɶð̪ˀˌg̊ʁɶð̪ˀ mɛ ˈflø:ð]̪̩ - wow! I didn’t know I could say _that_ . [/QUOTE] Heh, I was just about to come in here and hit the Norwegians for taking Risengrød first, but Rødgrød med fløde fits the bill nicely. Plus, we’re the Smørrehul (the melted butter in a crater in the Risengrød, the best part) anyway. ---
**Author:** ![neorxnawange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f4b2a3/32.png) [@neorxnawange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neorxnawange)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-countrys-national-dessert/429714/47 "2007-12-12T18:07:08Z")
I had mentioned apple pie for the USA, but on second thought it may be the ubiquitous chocolate chip cookie. RECIPIES! I want recipes. I would try the pavlova but my wife _hates_ meringue. Ironic since she grew up in Australia. I’ve had nanaimo bar before - I’d like to make one at home, but the recipe linked at the bottom of the wiki has a coconut base. I dislike coconut. Does anyone have a no-coconut nanaimo recipe I can try? I’d also like to try the Danish thing, but I’ll have to see if Central Market has any fresh currants this weekend. And there I figured the national dessert of Denmark would be the danish. I can’t find a recipe in English (or even a web page) for the Kvæfjordkaken. ---
**Author:** ![Panurge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@Panurge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panurge)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-countrys-national-dessert/429714/48 "2007-12-12T20:57:06Z")
A recipe for Rødgrød med Fløde, you say. Well - we usually don’t share that with people who can’t pronounce it properly. But then again - this is one of those each-family-its-own-recipe things, so here you go - you can have mine (and this recipe is _good_ - and metric - sorry 'bout that): 1 kg strawberries/red currant/black currant (mostly strawberries, though) 250 g raspberries 200 ml water 300 g sugar 1-2 tbsps of potato flour cream Wash & clean berries, mix (no raspberries yet!) with sugar and water (cold) in a pot- leave it for a few hours. Bring the pot to the boil - _slowly_, let it boil for 2-3 mins. Take the pot of the heat and carefully stir the raspberries into the Rødgrød. If you want a thicker rødgrød add the potato flour mixed with a little water when the temperature is just below the boiling point. Spread a thin layer of sugar over the rødgrød so that it doesn’t get a nasty skin when it cools. Serve cooled with cream. And just to clear up a common misunderstanding: Danish isn’t Danish. We actually call it Viennese bread - Wienerbrød - and I’m pretty sure that it originates in the Switzerland/Austria/Hungary region. Oh - and we don’t eat it for dessert, either. It is usually served for breakfast on Sundays. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-countrys-national-dessert/429714/49 "2007-12-12T22:15:23Z")
[QUOTE=neorxnawange] I’ve had nanaimo bar before - I’d like to make one at home, but the recipe linked at the bottom of the wiki has a coconut base. I dislike coconut. Does anyone have a no-coconut nanaimo recipe I can try? [/QUOTE] You can just omit the coconut. Add a bit more nuts and graham cracker for texture. Use BYRD’S Custard Powder if you can get it. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-countrys-national-dessert/429714/50 "2007-12-12T22:38:20Z")
[QUOTE=labtrash] I found [this list of “official” state foods](http://www.netstate.com/states/tables/state_food.htm) and [this other one](http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodfaq4.html#official). . [/QUOTE] Hey, Michigan doesn’t have an Official State Dessert. I’m gonna lobby Granholm\* about this. I think it should be a hot fudge sunday ( using Sander’s Hot Fudge.) \*Michigan is last in the nation in employment and stuff like that there. I’m sure this she will get right on. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-countrys-national-dessert/429714/51 "2007-12-13T05:27:19Z")
[QUOTE=devilsknew] I’ve actually presented and flambe’d a Beautiful Giant Baked Alaska in my serving days. It’s actually pretty tasty, but again, I’m not a big fan of the meringue. Just assume try a [Cookie Puss](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cookie_Puss) or [Fudgie the Whale](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fudgie_the_Whale), but alas there are no Carvel’s in my area. [/QUOTE] I’d love to set Fudgie the Whale aflame with a drizzle, my dizzel, of Kahlua and Bacardi’s 151 Rum. Queequeg. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-countrys-national-dessert/429714/52 "2007-12-13T05:55:41Z")
[QUOTE=devilsknew] Pavlova reminds me of [Baked Alaska](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baked_alaska). That’s one of those American desserts that seems to have peaked in popularity back in our parents day. It was one of thos hoity-toity, special, gourmet desserts, I remember it was always featured in cartoons and TV shows and stories and used as an epitomous height of fancy desertdom. [/QUOTE] Yes indeed. Somebody’s buying the pavlova kits and ready made pavlovas for guilty private consumption, but it’s not the sort of thing a bunch of trendoid inner-city black-wearing types would offer you. Pavlova has a very 50s to 70s image, though not enough to kill it completely. It’s also very suburban. If it had existed in the US, I could easily imagine Samantha cooking one on _Bewitched_. It occupies that exact headspace. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-countrys-national-dessert/429714/53 "2007-12-13T06:04:31Z")
Aie! You mean “just as soon try…” ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-countrys-national-dessert/429714/54 "2007-12-13T07:01:03Z")
Yes, I’m sposin’ your right. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-countrys-national-dessert/429714/55 "2007-12-13T07:52:09Z")
Curiously, “sposin’” doesn’t bother me in the slightest. Such is the idiosyncratic and contextual nature of my sanity. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-countrys-national-dessert/429714.md?page=2)