| The regional cuisine of Italy is surely a delight to the | | | | There are desserts that many people take for |
| senses. With the pasta, seafood, savory meats and | | | | granted. Rice pudding, for example, is one of the |
| cheeses, and delicious crusty breads, it is hard to stop | | | | simplest pleasures for Italian households. Milk, sugar, |
| yourself from eating until you are packed full. However, | | | | rice, and cinnamon are the staples of this favorite, but it |
| if you do not remember to save a little room, you may | | | | can be substituted to taste with extra sugar, honey, |
| miss out on the best part: dessert. No one does | | | | nutmeg, or raisins. My personal favorite is with extra |
| desserts quite like the Italians. From simple fruity finger | | | | cinnamon and dried cranberries. Another simple that |
| foods to savory layered tortes, the Italian's make | | | | many people forget about, or perhaps even loathe, is |
| desserts for every palette. From the chocolate lover | | | | the Panettone, otherwise known as fruit cake. A |
| to someone looking for something lighter and more | | | | staple on many Christmas tables, the Panettone has |
| refreshing, you are sure to find something to your | | | | gotten a bad rep in the United States, perhaps |
| looking in an Italian bakery. | | | | because of its strong Anise taste. When done right |
| One of my favorite Italian desserts has been a staple | | | | though, a Panettone can be truly delightful. |
| of my Grandmother's dessert table at holiday dinners | | | | Other than the cannoli, the most popular Italian dessert |
| for as long as I can remember. The best part is that it | | | | is undoubtedly Tiramisu. This alcoholic spongy cake |
| is something that I was always able to help with. | | | | has taken the world by storm with relatively young |
| Stuffed dates were always a task that the kids could | | | | origins. No one seems to know exactly how the |
| do, by simply taking the pre-sliced dates and stuffing | | | | Tiramisu was invented, or by who. What does seem |
| about a tea spoon full of cream cheese into them and | | | | to be agreed upon is that it was invented sometime in |
| then dotting them each with a pecan, we could be | | | | the 1960s in the Veneto region of Italy. The ingredients |
| happy to know we had helped. Even if we ate a date | | | | of Tiramisu are basic, but everyone seems to do it a |
| or two along the way. | | | | little bit different. Mascarpone, espresso and zabaglione |
| A variation on this dessert, which is popular in Milan | | | | cream make up the complimentary tastes of this |
| takes a little bit more grown up help. After the dates | | | | delicious dessert, but it would be impossible to create |
| are stuffed with the cream cheese, a grown up can | | | | without the base of savoiardi cake, otherwise known |
| dip the date into a mixture of bittersweet chocolate | | | | as lady fingers. These spongy biscuits make trouble |
| and milk and then let them harden. The product is a | | | | for pastry servers with their delicate spongy nature, |
| delicious, almost candy-like concoction that appeals to | | | | but like all Italian desserts are well worth the trouble. |
| the sweet and the salty taste buds. | | | | |