Tiramisu, Part II

I'm kind of over the tiramisu. It was good, but it's a long shot from being my favorite dessert. Can anyone explain to me the general craze over tiramisu? I can think of at least five people who would call it their "favorite dessert" or go gaga whenever they see it in a bakery case. Name me one great quality of a tiramisu--it's creamy, it's chocolatey, it's boozey--and I'll name several desserts that do it better. The only unique thing about a tiramisu is the mascarpone, and I feel like the delicate flavor of a good mascarpone is drowned out by all the brandy and egg yolks in tiramisu. My next goal is to find a recipe that lets the mascarpone shine.


Don't get me wrong, tiramisu is good. But I don't think it deserves a place in the pantheon of great desserts. It's not really a cake, it's not a cookie, it's not a mousse. In fact, it's no more than a boozed up trifle, an English concoction of shortcake, fruit, and whipped cream that no one really loves.


I'm hoping to finish this scarf tomorrow. This is my first ball of soy yarn. That's right, soy yarn! The fiber is created out of residue from tofu making. It's environmentally friendly, doesn't stretch or wrinkle with washing, and can be as soft as cashmere depending on the manufacturer. This brand felt a little more like wool, but the dye job was one of the best I've seen. I couldn't catch it in artificial light, but the gold part of it really glows in the sunlight like the whole thing had been sprayed with fine gold dust. I was so mesmerized when I saw it in the store window I had to get a ball.