While the origins of this trifle-like dessert are a bit cloudy (some even attributing its creation to a brothel where it was used to boost the energy of the clientel--the names does mean "pick me up" afterall...) the ingredients throughout the decades have remained the same: ladyfingers, eggs, marscarpone, coffee and liquor. Yes, please.
My first taste was in Venice at the Ristorante al Teatro, adjacent to the Fenice Theater. The food here was decent but I definitely recommend it on show nights for the added bonus of people-watching. From their patio you have an excellent view of the local Venetians dolled up in their Italian finest for a night at the Fenice. The first thing I noticed about the tiramisu (tiramisi?) in Italy was that it was typically served premade in individual dishes, rather than served in slab-like squares as if cut from a sheetcake a la the American style. I found this particular version far too heavy on the coffee, leaving the bottom cake layers cold and soggy. Otherwise I found the flavors to be well-balanced, if a little light on the liquor (No, I don't have a problem).
While I'm glad I got to sample a taste of true Italian tiramisu, I think I'll be sticking to my own recipe for now.
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