I'm the sort of person who doesn't like to mix the food on my plate. I eat one thing at a time - meat, vegetables, starch, or something like that. And when it comes to dessert, I also don't mix things, but that's not usually a problem because in the U.S., typically only one dessert is served. But here...South Africans can take dessert (called "pudding") to dizzy new heights that I never knew existed. Here's how it works:
Start off with about three desserts - malva pudding, some other type of cake, maybe some koeksisters (twisted donut-y-things soaked in sugar syrup), and place a bit of each in a bowl. Then take some custard - any flavour - and pour it over the top, drenching everything in your bowl. Add a scoop of ice cream, and maybe even some golden syrup. Then eat!
The first time I saw this I almost died! How could someone defile my chocolate chip cookies with.... golden syrup? Or custard?? And malva pudding, which is already drenched in a butter/cream/sugar sauce, needs nothing more (except maybe an insulin shot).
Many months later, I must admit, I am still shocked by this culinary phenomenon. But I have a rather awed respect for the sweet tooth of my Afrikaner friends, and I am learning to sneak my bowl away before the custard is dumped on (Starbucks, where are you? PLEASE come to South Africa!).
6 comments:
That might be the best description of a koeksister I have ever read. Well done - you've succeeded where many before you have failed :)
Have you had the pleasure of having some Christmas Trifle? (Not even sure what it's called in the U.S.). Talk about mixing sugary things together.
I won't tell you about the time my mom put my lunch in a blender so I could "drink" it after I had my wisdom teeth taken out. Because it's just gross.
Isn't a trifle layers of custard, fruit, pound cake, etc., topped with raspberries, more custard, pound cake, and a cute little mint leaf? If so, I've had it a few times.
In terms of Christmas puddings, I like mince pie the best.
Yep, that's the one! Looks like I can't teach you anything about SA culture :)
Ew, I hate trifle. Malvapudding and melktert are my favourites, although the former should come with some sort of health warning. I could never eat more than one koeksister, although my dad always finishes the whole tray when we buy them at the kerkbazaar!
I hope Starbucks never comes to South Africa. Aren't Mugg & Bean, Tribeca and the Seattle Coffee Co. enough? Surely they offer an equivalent to what you miss from home?
Okay, so you have a point about evil corporate giants coming to SA, but to answer your question, NO. When you order coffee here, it comes half filled with milk, so everything turns out to be a latte, basically.
If someone could actually serve coffee black, or make a cappuccino that isn't filled with milk, or a proper Americano, then I will recant my wish for Starbucks to come here! Fair enough?
No, Rian, there is still MUCH I don't know about SA culture!
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