During my childhood I recall desserts were homemade, usually with dates, bananas, nuts and whatever else suitable that my Mom would find. During the summer the homemade goodies turned into frozen treats, ice cream and fruit, frozen fruit-sicles, and fresh fruit. With a family of seven kids, there was no waiting for dessert. If you didn’t get your hands on it before everyone else, well you’d miss out.

As I got older, the dessert theme changed at family meals. After consuming a big meal with fine wine, my father would bring out a brick of Oka cheese with crackers. The French tradition had carried over from my Father’s Normandy upbringing. Having cheese for dessert was confusing at first. There was no sugar in it, and no chocolate. Without those key ingredients that make up dessert, I found out that a slice of Oka still hit the spot.

Today, desserts have evolved even more toward healthly eating attributes.  For more click here