Sample Chapter from Italian Pride: 101 Reasons to be Proud You're Italian
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97. Tirami sù
Imagine a dessert so scrumptious and irresistible that its own website devoted to singing its praises and directing devotees to restaurants throughout the world where they can find it. Such is the case with tirami sù, the ultimate Italian dessert made with angel food cake (ladyfingers), mascarpone cheese, liqueur, and varieties of espresso or chocolate. This is a "melt in your mouth" kind of dessert, with flavors and undertones that transport your tastebuds to a utopia to which they long to return again and again.
Tirami sù literally means pick-me-up, and legend has it that this refers to reviving sexual prowess. More likely, however, it simply refers to ending a weighty and substantial Italian meal on an up note — something special to help you pick yourself up from the table.The essential component of tirami sù is mascarpone cheese, a sweet, distinctive triple-crème cheese made from the milk of cows fed on a special diet. It is produced in Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna and can now be purchased in quality supermarkets throughout the world. Mascarpone is a fresh and creamy cheese, textured somewhere between butter and whipped cream. It can be used in a wide variety of dishes, but in tirami sù it becomes a heavenly cloud of sweet sensations.