Did you know Tiramisu has rejuvenating and aphrodisiac properties?

Today is the First Day Spring and Tiramisu Day. Well Spring has not arrived yet in most places, in the United States and neither in Italy or Europe. Snow on the East Coast and rain on the West. But let’s keep positive it will soon be here. For sure here is Tiramisu Day, the most famous dessert of Italy and my favorite.

There are several legends about the birth of the tiramisu, and the Italian regions competing to be proclaimed the place of origin of this cake are Friuli Venezia Giulia, Piedmont and Tuscany.

1. The region of Piedmont claims it was made first by a Turinese chef to support Camillo Benso Count of Cavour while performing his work of Italy ‘s reunification.
2. The region of Tuscany stated that he was invented around 1600 during the visit of Cosimo III de ‘Medici in Siena. In honor of the Grand Duke, a pastry chef made a cake that reflected its personality: the “zuppa del Duca” a delicious and important sweet made with simple ingredients.
3.  The region Friuli Venezia Giulia believes that the dessert was born in Tolmezzo,   invented in the restaurant of Hotel Roma where a Chef called Pinelli inspired by the famous dessert "Dolce Torino” by the chef Artusi, made originally with Savoyards, butter, chocolate, egg red, milk, decided to replace the butter with the mascarpone and soaked the savoiardi in coffee. 

   4. The Veneto region claims the birth place of the “tiramesù” (in Venetian dialect) is city of Treviso, where in the late 1960s at the restaurant “Alle Beccherie” the pastry maker Roberto Linguanotto made it for the first time. The success was so loud that it was spread throughout the Veneto region.

The only certainty is:

The name of this cake comes from the Venetian dialect “Tirame su” (later Italianate into tiramisu), that translate in English as “pick me up". The name seems to date back to the custom of serving this delicious cake as a present in some brothels in the region. The mix of energizing ingredients which has always characterized this cake, was believed to give energy and to have rejuvenating and aphrodisiac properties.

For the best results use the best ingredients you can find. Don’t go for cheap ingredients, go for authentic brands. This will make you already "a better chef”.- Giada

In occasion of Tiramisu Day and thanks to the support of the Galbani Cheeses, I will give away for the whole week a wonderful booklet with 5 Tiramisu recipes. The original of course and 4 variation I love : Green Tea, Limoncello, Hazelnut Cocao Spread (perfect for kids with no eggs and alcohol) and Thes Leches.

To download the booklet and my new single "Gracias A La Vida"

www.giadavalenti.com/tiramisuday

Happy Tiramisu Day and welcome Spring.

Giada

Join me on my official mailing list www.giadavalenti.com  to be part of my world of lovers of love and to stay connected with me.

How to avoid eternal bad luck

-->

Dear readers,

Today I want to share with you some history of my beautiful Venice.

And also a "did you know?",  that probably you will be happy to discover, if you are supersticious.

Positioned at the entrance of the walking area towards the pier and the San Marco basin  there are two pillars in pink marble and granite.

Looking almost like a door, they mark the entrance into the magnificent Piazza San Marco, Saint Mark Square.

All the tourist walk between the two columns, but I always wonder if they know the history of those two columns. My guess is not, as a Venetian will never do that and probably, you will neither probably after you read this blog.

The two columns represent the two saints of Venice: Saint Mark, in the shape of the winged Lion symbolizing the Serenissima Republic and San Todaro, Teodoro, the protector of the city.

THE ORIGIN

The origin of the two columns is part of many discussions. Some believe that they were brought from Constantinople to the second half of the twelfth century and that in reality they were three.

It is said that one felt into the lagoon's water during the landing operations, sinking into the sludge that made it impossible to recover.

Others people believe that they were brought in 1125 by Domenico Michiel, returning from one of his expeditions to the Holy Land.

One thing that is certain, is that the columns remained lying down on the ground for a long time. Due to their excessive weight and size, it was impossible  for the technology of the time, to make them stand in the vertical position.

Only in 1172 Nicolò Barattieri managed to find a way to raise them. With a very ingenious system of wetted ropes that acted as tie rods, he was able to lift the columns. While drying the rods did gradually stretched, lifting the columns in vertical position.

THE WING LION

The column that stands out on the side of Palazzo Ducale holds a very ancient bronze sculpture that represent

the winged lion, symbol of San Marco, since 862 patron saint and symbol of the city and the Venetian state.

SAN TODARO

On the side of the Marciana Library the column holds the marble statue of San Teodoro, a Byzantine saint and warrior,  first protector of the city, depicted in the act of killing a dragon.

LIFE AND DEATH BETWEEN THE COLUMNS

Under the two columns, in the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and till the mid-eighteenth century, the space between the two stalks was used as a place of capital executions.

So much so that the superstitious custom still persists in the local population in Venice,  not to cross the space between the columns, as it bring eternal bad luck.

Perfect view on the Clock Tower 

From this tradition derives some expressions in Venetian dialect:

"Te fasso veder mi che ora che xe’" (I'll show you, what time it is), as a threat, derived from the fact that the condemned to death, with their backs to the basin of San Marco, saw the clock on the Tower as the last thing.

"Esser fra Marco e Todaro" (To be between Marco and Teodoro), which describes the condition of those who stagger between opposing difficulties with no way out.

So if you follow the tradition to kiss your loved one under every bridge in Venice for eternal love, maybe you should consider now also not to walk between the two columns to avoid eternal bad luck!!

True or not true, better to be safe than sorry.

From Venice With Love,

Giada

Join me on my official mailing list www.giadavalenti.com  to be part of my world of lovers of love and to stay connected with me.