It is difficult to determine the exact origin of Mishti Doi because its history is surrounded by a mixture of legend and hearsay. Because there are no hard records, the sweet mixture is both a culinary treat and a story of mystery and cultural importance.
There is a record of custard existing since the days of ancient Rome. There is also a recipe for "Crustardes of flessh," which sounds vaguely terrifying in a 14th-century cookbook.
Most commonly in the Middle Ages, custards were used alongside pastries to make tarts. In fact, the word "custard" comes from the French word, "croustade," which is a pastry crust. The Middle Ages were truly the period of time when the dish began to flourish in both savory and sweet varieties — and not just in Europe, but around the world, including in Asia.
Seeing how much the bakery’s clients loved it, in 1622, Gelee opened a café in Paris serving ‘the thousands leave’ pastry and some years later another one opened in Florence. From Italy, the recipe traveled to Austria and the rest is history.
The making of a traditional Viennese strudel is complex. The chosen filling is spread intermittently between layers of the finest unleavened dough, making for the characteristic swirling pattern of pasty and filling when cut. No wonder strudel derives from the Middle High German word meaning ‘whirlpool’.
In Korea, a few styles of tteokbokki predate the spicy version, which became popular in the 1950s thanks to a Seoul street vendor named Ma Bok-rim. Personalize your tteokbokki with additional ingredients, or swap the spice for the salty, savory notes of soy sauce.
Custard was initially served by ancient Romans who were the first to recognize the binding properties of eggs. They simmered milk, eggs, and honey in clay pots, topping it off with a dash of ground pepper. Since that first batch stirred over an open fire, people around the world have enjoyed the taste sensation.
The pages of culinary history gained notoriety during the 16th century in Portugal because of one specific need — egg whites. At that time, Catholic nuns, friars, and monks living in convents and monasteries used large amounts of the clear liquid to starch their religious habits and to clarify red wine. This resulted in an overabundance of egg yolks. It was a blessing in disguise, as many helped the poor by selling cakes, cookies, and other sweets. It was an opportunity to try a new recipe.
The recipe first appeared in 1691 in the French cookbook, Le Cuisinier Royal et Bourgeois by Francois Massialot, a chef at the Palace of Versailles.
In Italy, there’s the famous shell-shaped pastry called sfogliatelle, nicknamed “lobster tails” in English. Across the Adriatic Sea in Greece, there’s galaktoboureko, an egg custard pie drenched in a scented syrup and melted butter under a layer of crispy golden phyllo dough. China has its own version of a delicious egg tart, usually served at dim sum restaurants and afternoon tea. Spanish-speaking countries enjoy serving up natillas de leche, a creamy delicacy lightly flavored with lemon and cinnamon.