Did you know? Tiramisu’s cocoa-powder dusted legacy was a happy accident originating in an 18th century brothel

News of pastry chef Roberto ‘Loli’ Linguanotto’s passing was shared Italian restaurant Le Beccherie in a Facebook post on Sunday, July 28. He was 81. Dubbed the ‘father of Tiramisu’, Roberto Loli Linguanotto, along with the Treviso restaurant owner’s wife, Alba Campeol have been credited with elevating the multi-layered deliciousness to how it is savoured today. Tracing the much-contested legacy of Tiramisu(Photos: Nourishing Niki, Wood & Spoon) Le Beccherie, located in Treviso, Italy(Photo: Facebook/Le Beccherie) While Loli and Alba’s passion project now enjoys an indelible place among the world’s most prized desserts, the spotlight on Tiramisu demands its origin story be traced — right back to the streets of 19th century Treviso. The Tiramisu actually originated in a brothelPrior to its stop at the Le Beccherie kitchen, the ‘home’ of Tiramisu was a brothel, also located in Treviso. The term Tiramisu literally translates to ‘pick me up’ and is a 20th century-forward modernised take on the Treviso dialect, ‘Tireme su’. The iconic flavour profile, as per horical records, was actually the brainchild of a maitresse or Siora, crafted as a literal ‘pick me up’ for the clientele before they were sent off back to their homes. Academia del Tiramisu, literally refers to the dessert as a “a natural Viagra from the 19th century”, adding a spicy tinge to its sweet legacy. The origins of Tiramisu are rather contested(Photo: Adobe Stock) For obvious reasons then, Tiramisu didn’t really make it to mainstream conscience till about the 1980s, something which unfairly hampers factual storytelling. This is where oral hory comes handy. The original inspiration for Tiramisu was the ‘sbatudin’ from Venice, simply comprising of egg yolks beaten to a fluff with sugar and a dash of espresso. Further proof of Tiramisu’s ancient past are accounts like that of Giovanni Comisso (1895-1969), a Treviso-based scholar, poet and writer. Some of his memoirs as well as accounts to friends, reportedly recall memories of his grandmother Giuseppina, savouring the nascent version of the delicacy — something she referred to as Tirame-sospiro-sù — during the winters. Loli and Alba perfect the Tiramisu legacyThere is a little controversy when it comes taking credit for the creation of Tiramisu. For instance, Linguatto’s account of this affirmed how the dessert came about when the pastry chef accidentally spilled mascarpone into a bowl of eggs and sugar. As per the official website of Le Beccherie however, it was Alba who came up with the flavour profile, being inspired from a breakfast sweet her mother-in-law used to make — as per the account, she eventually approached Loli for help. Ladyfingers were the final addition to the Tiramisu structure(Photo: Adobe Stock) Either which way, the addition of the ladyfingers is something that is largely agreed upon to have come up in the kitchen of Le Beccherie, adding structure to the creamy, dreamy dessert. The finalised version of the dish was inducted into the restaurant’s menu in 1972, kickstarting a new, still-going chapter in its undying legacy. On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you love Tiramisu?