<P> 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 .)" </P> <P> 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 . </P> <P> Sweets were fed to the gods in ancient Mesopotamia and India and other ancient civilizations . Dried fruit and honey were probably the first sweeteners used in most of the world, but the spread of sugarcane around the world was essential to the development of dessert . </P> <P> Sugarcane was grown and refined in India before 500 BCE and was crystallized, making it easy to transport, by 500 CE . Sugar and sugarcane were traded, making sugar available to Macedonia by 300 BCE and China by 600 CE . In South Asia, the Middle East and China, sugar has been a staple of cooking and desserts for over a thousand years . Sugarcane and sugar were little known and rare in Europe until the twelfth century or later, when the Crusades and then colonialization spread its use . </P>

What is the difference between a hot dessert and a cold dessert