An Italian restaurant dessert menu staple, tiramisu is enjoyed throughout the United States and Europe. The dish starts with ladyfingers, also known as savoiardi or sponge cake. It gets layered with Italian cream, or a mixture of mascarpone cheese, sugar, and eggs, before getting topped with espresso and cocoa powder. Whether tiramisu is one of your favorite restaurant desserts or you recently experienced the delectable treat for the first time, take a moment to learn about its unique origins.

A Venetian Baker

The dessert’s origin myth begins in 1970 when a chef and baker named Roberto Loli Linguanotto started working in Le Beccherie, an Italian restaurant in the city of Treviso on the Adriatic Coast. This Venetian baker had recently spent time in Germany, where he was introduced to soft desserts. Such desserts were popular in restaurants throughout Bavaria and inspired Linguanotto’s idea for a whipped-egg-yolk-and-sugar confection like those children in Venice and Treviso routinely consumed for breakfast. Linguanotto used his German culinary experiences to craft the dessert, resulting in the mascarpone cheese addition to what is now known as tiramisu. The dish is believed to be named for the baker’s apprentice.

An Increase In Popularity

By 1985, the dessert was well-known in Italian restaurants all over the United States and Europe, becoming an “obsession” in San Francisco four years later. Tiramisu has enjoyed numerous incarnations since its inception, such as those that are more cake than pudding or feature ladyfingers soaked in rum. It is even favored by those who don’t like coffee or consume libation-flavored desserts thanks to its unique flavor combination that delights the taste buds.

If tiramisu is the perfect dessert for your next event, request catering services from Emilio’s of Morris Park. The Bronx, NY-based Italian restaurant features tiramisu on its catering menu among other classic desserts. Call (718) 822-6758 today to get started on a custom event menu or review your options online. Keep up with the latest news from the Italian restaurant on Facebook and read the most recent reviews on Yelp.