.JPG)
.JPG)
The 6 countries and pastries featured are as follows:
Hopia - from The Philippines
It is a popular Filipino bean-filled pastry originally introduced by the Chinese.
Thoughts: It is actually fairly similar to many Chinese and Taiwanese pastries I have tried before. It is not overly sweet and pretty tasty.
Pineapple Cake - from Taiwan
A cake with a buttery crust and pineapple jam filling in the middle. It is the most popular pastry in Taiwan.
Thoughts: I have had Pineapple Cakes from Taiwan many times. In fact, I get them seasonally as gifts from family members. This particular one was not outstanding or noteworthy in my opinion. There are definitely better options out there. The buttery crust was not bad, but the pineapple filling was sub par and overly sweet.
Pastelitos de Mango - from Cuba
They are pastries with fillings that are similar to an American turnover.
Thoughts: Mango usually makes me pretty sick so I will not be personally sampling this, but I will be sharing it with a family member.
Macaroon - from Lebanon
A very indulgent dessert with a high amount of sugar. The Lebanese variation is made from semolina, oil and spices.
Thoughts: My initial thought was that it reminded me of a doughnut, both in taste and texture, but not as sweet. It is delicious.
Baklava - from Greece
It has light, flaky layers of crust and a sweet filling.
Thoughts: OH MY Gosh. It tastes like Christmas in my mouth. It has a light sweetness, and cinnamon is definitely apparent, along with the chopped nuts. This reminds me of all the best holiday desserts in one amazing bite.
Rice Cakes - from Vietnam
A chewy sponge cake made from rice flour, water and sugar.
Thoughts: The rice cakes are really sweet and have a taste and texture that is similar to Japanese Mochi.
