Monday, July 21, 2008

Taiwan Treats: Pudding Milk.

"Pudding" is an unusual term in that it seems to mean something different in every part of the world. In the US, pudding is a very specific smooth, custard dessert- most commonly associated with the Jell-O Brand and Bill Cosby (are pudding pops still on the market?). In South Africa, 'pudding' tends to be used as a general catchall for desserts; an invitation to a potluck might ask that you bring a salad, drinks, or 'the pudding.' I have no idea what it means to the English, but I imagine it involves some sort of meat and an obscure Anglican holiday.

In Taiwan, like in the US, pudding specifies a specific dessert- only here, it's a formed caramel custard rather similar to flan. It was this kind of pudding that found itself as the flavoring for a milk-box that Bordeaux picked up for me at the minimart. The drink itself was a little unusual, though not as much as I expected. It had a slightly off-putting buttery flavor, but that was outbalanced by the pleasant taste of a creamy caramel.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

That sounds lovely. I love milk drinks, and that dessert (called Creme Caramel here in the UK) is one of my favourites.

Oh, and sorry to disappoint you - but in England, pudding has pretty much the same meaning as in SA, i.e. a general word (and less fancy) word for dessert.

Alexander Santillanes said...

Well, if you can get creme caramel, you can probably make your own version of another Taiwanese treat- pudding milk tea! It's just a sweet milk tea, with bits of creme caramel floating at the bottom.

That's a shame, I was hoping for something a little more unusual. Maybe I'm confusing that with a trifle that was made on the television show 'Friends.' -X

tangobaby said...

Hmmm, sounds like a liquid creme brulee. Yummy.

Pecos Blue said...

I think I could go for that. I am sure my son would love it.

dee said...

Sounds interesting. Though I think I'd have a hard time getting it out of my head how I thought it was SUPPOSED to taste, simply because of the name.

Denise Kiggan said...

Interesting! I know that muffins are also different things to different cultures!

Anonymous said...

Pudding milk also goes really well with vodka should anyone be willing to try it.