Chinatown in Montreal is filled with a large range of places selling food and any item one could ever imagine needing. While I always enjoy going to a dim sum restaurant and eating an abundance of food, my all-time favorite for dessert in Chinatown is called Dragon’s Beard Candy. This unique sweet is made by first spinning a chunk of sugar syrup 13 times, until 8192 thin strands of sugar are created. These thin strands are cut into smaller pieces and are wrapped around a mixture of coconut, peanuts, sesame seeds and chocolate.
This specialty is a gift from Chinese Imperialism, and the man making them in Montreal was one of the first to bring the treat to North America. I immediately learned you should always eat the whole sweet in one bite, after being covered in flakes of sugar and nuts trying to split it in half. It also maximizes the texture, which varies between chewy and crunchy, the flavors a nice balance between sweet and salty. I usually buy Dragon Beard Candy in a set of 6, but it always adds a sweet touch to my day when I stop by and buy a single one for immediate enjoyment.
