Fruit is also commonly found in dessert courses because of its naturally occurring sweetness. Some cultures sweeten foods that are more commonly savory to create desserts.
The word "dessert" originated from the French word desservir, meaning "to clear the table. Its first known use was in 1600, in a health education manual entitled Naturall and artificial Directions for Health, which was written by William Vaughan. In his A History of Dessert (2013), Michael Krondl explains it refers to the fact dessert was served after the table had been cleared of other dishes. The term dates from the 14th century but attained its current meaning around the beginning of the 20th century when "service à la française" (setting a variety of dishes on the table at the same time) was replaced with "service à la russe" (presenting a meal in courses.)
The word "dessert" is most commonly used for this course in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland while "pudding" is more commonly used in the United Kingdom. Alternatives such as "sweets" or "afters" are also used in the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth countries, including Hong Kong, and India.
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