Tiramisu is trending and nobody is complaining

Tiramisu, tiramisu latte, rasgulla tiramisu, masala chai tiramisu, tiramisu tres leches—it seems like almost every café or restaurant across the country has some version of the Italian dessert on its menu.

- Smitha Menon

There’s no doubt that the sweet treat made of mascarpone, eggs, sugar and balanced with espresso-dipped lady finger biscuits is a delight to devour, but I find the virality of the tiramisu peculiar as we aren’t witnessing the rise of a “new” dessert. The tiramisu has been popular across the country for years. So why is everyone suddenly obsessed?

First, a little history: contrary to popular opinion, the version of the tiramisu that we enjoy today does not date back centuries like other Italian culinary exports, but is roughly about 60 years old, “Invented” by a restaurant called Le Beccherie in Treviso, located in the north of the country, tiramisu is rumoured to have been first made when then-owner of the restaurant, Alba Campeol, was pregnant with her son Carlo. To help her young daughter-in-law regain her strength, Alba’s mother-in-law would prepare for her a hearty breakfast with zabaglione (an Italian dessert of beaten egg yolks and sugar) and coffee. Once Campeol got back to work, she was inspired to put something on the menu that reminded her of this dish. In the early 1970s, Le Beccherie launched their version of the tiramisu that quickly spread across borders.

Another story goes that a dessert, made from chocolate and cream and biscuits, would be served in brothels around Treviso, after the amorous deed was done. This was called Il tira me su, which literally translates to “pick me up”. The ingredients are relatively easy to source or replace and the recipe is simple. By the late 1980s and 1990s, the dish had found its way on to menus of restaurants in the US, the UK and even India. This brings us back to the question: why is everyone talking about it again now?