Desserts


		The Chinese generally do not serve dessert at the end of a meal but rather in the middle or sometimes as late as the second to the last dish. It is usually followed by a major dish, such as steamed duck or pork. The Chinese find that a sweet dish between courses serves as a change of pace from the salty and highly seasoned main dishes. However, this custom varies from region to region. In Szechuan, dessert is sometimes served after a meal. During the Chinese New Year festival, it is customary to offer a guest tea with mixed, sweet preserved fruits, or with such other delicacies as kumquats, melon, lotus seeds, lotus roots, and dates-to wish him a year filled with sweetness. .