I never thought I’d say this, but desserts have become part of my travel plans.

I was never a sweet-tooth person. Give me a plate of something savoury and I was perfectly happy to skip whatever came after it.

Then I became a baker.

Now, when I travel, I don't just ask, “Where should I eat?”

I ask, “What do they make here that I can't get at home?”

That question has taken me to some interesting places.

In Goa, I tried serradura. Creamy, simple and layered with crushed biscuits. It isn't an elaborate dessert, but it stayed with me because of how well the textures worked together.

In Thailand, I tried local crepes. Crisp, filled, sweet, sometimes completely different from what I expected. I found myself paying attention to the fillings and combinations instead of simply eating them.

In Singapore, I tried desserts and sweets built around flavours like pandan, coconut and gula melaka. These are flavours I don't naturally reach for when I'm creating something, which is exactly why I wanted to try them.

And in Nepal, I found myself paying more attention to traditional sweets and local preparations. Some were familiar. Some weren't. That is the point.

I don't need to love everything I taste.

Actually, I think disliking something can teach you just as much.

Maybe it's too sweet. Maybe the texture doesn't work for me. Maybe the flavour combination sounds strange but somehow makes sense once you taste it.

I remember these things.

Because when I come back to my kitchen, I'm not starting with the same palate I left with.

That's important to me at The Bittersweet Palate.

And that is why, for me, travelling is now partly about finding the next dessert that makes me stop and think, “I need to try making this.”

The next idea for The Bittersweet Palate might not come from a recipe book.

It might come from my next trip.