Assidat Zgougou

Assidat Zgougou is Tunisia's most distinctive and ceremonial dessert, prepared exclusively for Mawlid (the celebration of the Prophet Muhammad's birthday). Made from the seeds of the Aleppo pine, which grows in the forests of northwestern Tunisia, the seeds are ground and cooked into a dark, earthy, slightly bitter pudding that is then topped with a cloud of sweet white cream and elaborately decorated with nuts, candied fruits, and colorful dragées. It is a dish with no equivalent anywhere in the world.