I love hearing about the origin of Italian dishes from my Momma, who grew up in Venice, Italy, and who became a gourmet chef when she arrived in America. One of my favorite stories is about a gourmet dessert that America has fallen in love with called Tiramisu. It is believed to have originated at a fabulous restaurant in Treviso, my Momma’s hometown, called Le Beccherie. It was the first place she took me to when I was 18 years old when visiting her town for the first time. Since then, Tiramisu has turned up in most Italian restaurant menus but few people actually know what Tiramisu means. It means “pick me up.” As Momma explained to me, during WW2, rationing was mandatory in Italy, and many people were under-nourished. That was a particular concern for pregnant women who needed to keep up the nutrients and calories to produce healthy babies. Tiramisu was the perfect solution. It’s loaded with protein-rich eggs, and calorie-rich heavy cream and Mascarpone cheese. The espresso would give one a boost of energy, and together the ingredients provided the perfect “pick me up.” The beauty of Tiramisu is that it is so easy to make. The only challenge is, you have to wait 8 hours for it to set up. But it’s worth the wait. Give yourself a delicious pick me up this week with melt-in-your-mouth Tiramisu!

Watch my How To Video for Tiramisu here!