By Hannah Holmes
| Special to the News-Press
Video: Lerome Campbell recreates a non-traditional tiramisu recipe
Pastry chef, Lerome Campbell, shares the tiramisu recipe that he learned from his mentor late Master Chef, Peter Timmins, on Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2018, at the Ritz-Carlton beach resort in North Naples. The recipe was also the one he prepared on Food Network’s “Holiday Baking Championship.”
Srijita Chattopadhyay, Naples Daily News
You may not recognize his name but definitely will know ― and probably love ― his sweet creation.
Roberto “Loli” Linguanotto, who died July 28 at 81 years old, invented tiramisu more than 50 years ago and it remains a popular dessert at restaurants worldwide.
For those who haven’t tried it, tiramisu is a classic, beloved Italian dessert of espresso-soaked lady finger pastries layered with mascarpone and cacao powder.
“I LOVE IT,” wrote Giuseppe Manco, owner of San Matteo Italian Restaurant & Bar in Estero, when asked about the treat. “Also my staff and customers love it too. When I’m in the kitchen, everyone on the staff sticks around and watches me making it. Once it is done and needs to be assembled, they all ask for a little piece of ladyfinger with some mascarpone cream on top.”
Tiramisu was born in northeastern Italy
Linguanotto originally invented the dessert while working as a pastry chef at Le Beccherie, a restaurant in Treviso, Italy. He worked with Alba Campeol, fellow pastry chef and wife of Le Beccherie’s owner, Ado Campeol, to perfect the recipe. The delicious dessert quickly grew in popularity and is now served across the world, everywhere from Italian restaurants to French bakeries.
“My grandma used to be a chef for the Italians in World War II,” said Toni Dedaj, owner of Oda Pizzeria Bistro in Cape Coral. “It’s one of my top three favorites. We come from a poorer country. Baklava is expensive, they only did it on Christmas and New Years, but tiramisu was more often.”
Dedaj isn’t the only restaurant owner with a special place in his heart for the dessert.
“I like a cannoli, tiramisu and limoncello cake most,” said Dario Zuljani, owner of Ariani Ristorante Italiano in Cape Coral. “We go through three trays of tiramisu in a week. There’s a dozen in one tray.”
It would take us months to list every tiramisu-lover we’ve met in the restaurant business, so instead we’re highlighting some local takes on this traditional treat that have made us into tiramisu lovers ourselves.
ARIANI RISTORANTE ITALIANO
Does anything beat a good classic? Zuljani makes a traditional tiramisu, and it sure does honor that tradition well.
The layers of pastry, mascarpone and cocoa are simply perfect.
He’ll occasionally do a limoncello tiramisu that we were lucky enough to try the other day.
“I have friends coming tonight so I made it special,” he said.
You can’t go wrong with either one.
Visit Ariani Ristorante Italiano at 1529 SE 15th Terrace, Cape Coral. (239) 772-8000 or ariani.com.
PEZZO PIZZA + BAR
If we were grading tiramisu based on creativity, this Estero restaurant would be a straight-A contender. Once you’ve grabbed a bite of a one-of-a-kind pizza, perhaps at their color-changing, light-up bar, it’s time to start thinking about dessert.
Tame your tiramisu cravings with one ― or both ― of Pezzo’s unique twists on the treat.
Sit back and enjoy the show as Tableside Tiramisu is brought right to you. Watch as fresh espresso is poured over a bed of ladyfinger pastries, with spoonfuls of mascarpone then spread on top. After a dusting of cocoa powder to seal the deal, your tableside treat is ready to eat.
“It’s our most popular dessert by far,” said Leo Fiore, Pezzo’s general manager.
Thirsty? Indulge in the drink form of the dessert with the Tiramisu Old Fashioned. News-Press food writer Robyn George described the drink as “my favorite dessert-in-a-glass,” which just about sums up everything one could hope for when ordering an after-dinner drink.
Try Pezzo Pizza + Bar at 20041 S Tamiami Trail, Estero. (239) 908-9197 or pezzopizzabar.com.
ODA PIZZERIA BISTRO
Most desserts at Oda are homemade. Order the tiramisu, for example, and there is a good chance it was handmade by Toni Dedaj, the restaurant’s owner.
You can taste the love in each bite. Dedaj’s tiramisu is melt-in-your-mouth perfection that any confectionary connoisseur is bound to appreciate.
The other delicious desserts we were lucky enough to taste at Oda were the cannoli and the baklava. With perfection on every plate, this Cape Coral restaurant is a no-brainer if you’re looking for something sweet after supper.
Visit Oda Pizzeria Bistro at 900 SW Pine Island Road, No. 102, Cape Coral. (239) 402-8282 or odapizzeriabistro.com.
OSTERIA TULIA
When asked about tiramisu in Collier County, Naples Daily News food writer Diana Biederman was quick to mention this 5th Avenue favorite.
This Italian restaurant is one of five that is overseen by Chef Vincenzo Betulia.
Here at Osteria Tulia and Campagna Hospitality Group’s four other venues – The French, Tulia Catering and two Bar Tulias – Betulia’s grandmother’s tiramisu recipe is a best-seller.
If you somehow manage to get tired of tiramisu (which we could never), Osteria Tulia offers an array of other treats by Maria Selas, Executive Pastry Chef. Selas seeks to incorporate exciting flavors and contrasting textures into her desserts.
Check out Osteria Tulia at 466 5th Ave. S., Naples. (239) 213-2073 or osteriatulia.com.
LOVE BOAT ICE CREAM
The Tiramisu Tour across Southwest Florida simply must end on a creative note. Luckily for us, Love Boat took the traditional tiramisu and found a way to ‘shake’ things up ― a tiramisu milkshake.
The shake combines red velvet cake and coffee Oreo ice creams to perfection that really does taste like tiramisu.
Now available as an August special at all Love Boat locations. To make the shake even sweeter, Love Boat posted on Facebook that each purchase of the special has a built-in donation of $1 to go towards Wreaths Across America, which seeks to remember, honor and teach about the service and sacrifice of veterans.
Find the Love Boat location nearest to you on loveboaticecream.com and stay up-to-date with their specials on Facebook.