The long-fought battle over the birthplace of tiramisu has one - possibly temporary - winner: the northern Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia.
At the request of the region, tiramisu has been officially inserted in the list of Prodotti agroalimentari tradizionali of Friuli (traditional agri-food products, known with the acronym PAT), and therefore recognized as typical of the area.
The beloved dessert famous around the world has been included in its two historical versions originating in Friuli Venezia Giulia: the classic, most popular one traces its origins to the 1950s in Tolmezzo (Udine), where it was first created at the Hotel/Restaurant Roma; the semifreddo version was first served in a cup known as 'Vetturino Tìrime Su', also invented in the 1950s, at the trattoria Vetturino in Pieris, in the province of Gorizia.
A recently published book seems to confirm the Friulian origins of tiramisu: “Storia, curiosità, interpretazioni del dolce italiano più amato”, by Clara e Gigi Padovani (Giunti), tells the story and traditions of the tiramisu and claims the dessert originated in Gorizia and Udine, and not, as many believed, in Treviso (Veneto).
The Veneto region however isn’t too happy about tiramisu being listed in the official list of the traditional food products of Friuli; Veneto has long claimed the paternity of this delicious dessert and the governor of Veneto himself, Luca Zaia, has criticized the decision, saying that it must be a mistake and inviting the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies to suspend the decree.
If you're familiar with Italian food, you know that it has a strong regional tradition, and each region is proud just as is jealous of its cuisine.
It should be pointed out that the inclusion of a product in the regional list of PAT doesn’t bar it from being included in the list belonging to another region as well.
Whether you’re a Friuli or Veneto supporter over the origins of tiramisu, we think we can all agree on the fact that a well-executed tiramisu borders on perfection, and we’ll happily eat it no matter where it hails from.
