Long ago, someone taught me a mnemonic device to remember the difference between desert and dessert: Desert has one S, for sand. Dessert has two S's, for strawberry shortcake. I've never had to look it up since.

But don't forget, if someone is getting his just deserts, he is getting what he deserves, so one S. It's this definition of desert.

Sometimes papers get it wrong.
Sometimes they get it right.