A few years ago I traveled to Italy and was able to have tiramisu in Rome and in Perugia. When I came back to the U.S., I noticed that the tiramisu you get in restaurants here like Olive Garden or Fazoli’s was different. It’s definitely “cakier” and has a different taste. The tiramisu that I had in Italy was more like a custard rather than a cake.

I searched the internet, combined several recipes and added my own elements to make a recipe that produces a tiramisu that’s VERY much like what I had overseas. I share it here for anyone who’d like to try it. If you do, please leave a comment with your, um, comments. Also, please share any tiramisu stories you have. Thanks!

Ingredients

6 egg yolks
1 cup white sugar, divided
1 pound mascarpone cheese (usually 2 containers)
6 egg whites, stiffly beaten
1/4 cup heavy cream
1-2 tsp rum extract (or 1-2 tablespoons rum) - optional
1-1/4 cups espresso or double-strength brewed coffee, cold
25 ladyfingers, split open, preferably soft (often 2 packages = 24, which works)
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (dark or semi-sweet will also work)
1/8 cup mini semisweet or dark chocolate chips - optional

Directions

1. In a medium bowl beat together the egg yolks and 1/3 cup of sugar. Using a wooden spoon, gently stir in mascarpone cheese, beaten egg whites, cream and 1 tsp. rum extract; stir until smooth. Set aside.

2. Dissolve remaining 2/3 cup sugar in coffee. Add 1 tsp. rum extract. Quickly, to avoid complete saturation, dip ends of ladyfingers in coffee mixture. Place half the ladyfingers in a single layer in a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Spread a layer of half the cheese mixture over the ladyfingers; sprinkle with 1 tbsp. cocoa powder. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over surface (optional). Repeat layers, omitting chips on top.

3. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

(Note: Some people prefer less rum flavor, in which case, you can eliminate the rum extract from the coffee or from both parts.)

There are many variations of tiramisu, even in Italy. Some cook it, some don’t. Some use ricotta cheese (I’ve heard), but I haven’t tried that. Some use soft ladyfingers and some use harder ones, which I think result in the firmer texture in the end.

Some people prefer to omit the rum, while others (such as I) like it. If you use real rum, be careful not to overdo it–the taste can quickly get strong and overpower the other flavors.

The mini chocolate chips in the center are unusual. I had some tiramisu in Perugia, Italy, that had little chocolate bits like that in the center. I thought it made a wonderful little surprise during eating. Again, don’t overdo the amount. The tiramisu should have a consistency that is like pudding or custard and each bite should not be loaded with crunchy chocolate chunks.

It helps to let the flavors blend for at least a few hours. Making it one day ahead seems to work just fine.

So there you go. My own personal tiramisu recipe. I hope you enjoy it and if you try it, please do come back here and leave me some feedback. Thanks!

For definitions of the words, as explained by Humpty Dumpty in the story or later by Carroll himself, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jabberwocky#Glossary (and be sure to look up the definitions for “outgrabe” and “toves”).

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought –
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought

And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! and through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

“And has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

Check it out!

The first said: “I built a big house for our mother.”

The second said:” I sent her a Mercedes with a driver.”

The third smiled and said: “I’ve got you both beat. You know how Mom enjoys the Bible and you know she can’t see very well. I sent her a parrot that can recite the entire Bible. It took 20 monks in a monastery 12 years to teach him. I had to pledge to contribute $100,000.00 a year for 10 years, but it was worth it. Mom just has to name the chapter and verse, and the parrot will recite it.”

Soon thereafter, Mom sent out her letters of thanks:

“Maynard,” she wrote the first son, “the house you built is so huge. I live in only one room, but I have to clean the whole house.”

“Marvin,” she wrote to the next, “I am too old to travel. I stay home all the time, so I never use the Mercedes. And the driver is so rude!”

“Dearest Melvin,” she wrote to her third son, “You were the only son to have the good sense to know what your mother likes. That chicken was delicious.”

A young woman was preparing a ham dinner. After she cut off the end of the ham, she placed it in a pan for baking. Her friend asked her, “Why did you cut off the end of the ham”? And she replied, “I really don’t know, but my mother always did, so I thought you were supposed to.”

Later, when talking to her mother, she asked her why she always cut off the end of the ham before baking it, and her mother replied, “I really don’t know, but that’s the way my mom always did it.”

A few weeks later while visiting her grandmother, the young woman asked, “Grandma, why is it that you cut off the end of a ham before you bake it?”

Her grandmother replied, “Well, dear, it would never fit into my baking pan.”

According to the Quartermaster General of the Army, it is reported that Moses would have needed 1500 tons of food each day. Did you know that to bring that amount of food each day, two freight trains, each a mile long, would be required? Besides, you must remember, they were out in the desert, and they would have to have firewood to cook the food. This would take 4000 tons of wood and a few more freight trains, each a mile long, for one day. And just to think, they were forty years in transit.

Oh, yes, they would have to have water. If they only had enough to drink and wash a few dishes, it would take 11,000,000 gallons each day, and a freight train with tank cars 11.8 miles long, just to bring water. They had no lakes, and only a few wells. How were they to get water?

And another thing! They had to get across the Red Sea in one night. Now if they went on a narrow path, double file, the line would be 800 miles long and would require 35 days and nights to get through. So, there had to be space in the Red Sea 3 miles wide so they could walk 5000 abreast to get over in one night.

But, then, another problem… Every time they camped at the end of the day, a campground two-thirds the size of Rhode Island, or a total of 750 square miles, was needed. That comprises an area 25 miles wide and 30 miles long. Think of it! This space just for nightly camping.

Do you think Moses figured all this out before he left? I think not. You see, Moses believed in God, and that God was going to take care of these things for him.

Let us take courage–we have the same God! And we think our problems are so big.

A “pfunny” about getting old(er)

1. Eventually you will reach a point when you stop lying about your age and start bragging about it.

2. Don’t let anyone tell you you’re getting old. Squash their toes with your rocker.

3. The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.

4. Some people try to turn back their odometers. Not me. I want people to know why I look this way. I’ve traveled a long way and some of the roads weren’t paved.

5. Maturity means being emotionally and mentally healthy. It is that time when you know when to say yes and when to say no, and when to say WHOOPEE!

6. How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?

7. When you are dissatisfied and would like to go back to youth, think of Algebra.

8. You know you are getting old when everything either dries up or leaks.

9. I don’t know how I got over the hill without getting to the top.

10. The golden years are really just metallic years, gold in the tooth, silver in your hair, and lead in the rear.

11. Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of 80 and gradually approach 18.

12. One of the many things no one tells you about aging is that it is such a nice change from being young. One must wait until evening to see how splendid the day has been.

13. Age seldom arrives smoothly or quickly. It is more often a succession of jerks.

14. Yeah, being young is beautiful, but being old is comfortable.

15. Old age is when former classmates are so gray and wrinkled, and blind they don’t recognize you.

16. If you don’t learn to laugh at trouble, you won’t have anything to laugh at when you are old.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST

17. First you forget names, then you forget faces. Then you forget to pull your zipper up, then you forget to pull your zipper down.

Golden Retriever: The sun is shining. The day is young. We’ve got our whole lives ahead of us. And you’re inside worrying about a stupid, burned-out light bulb?

Border Collie: Just one. Not only that, but I’ll replace any wiring that’s not up to code.

Dachshund: I can’t reach the stupid lamp!

Toy Poodle: I’ll just blow in the Border Collie’s ear and he’ll do it. By the time he finishes rewiring the house, my nails will be dry.

Rottweiler: Go Ahead! Make me!

Shi-tzu: Puh-leeze, dah-ling. What are servants for?

Lab: Oh, me, me!!! Pleeeeeeze let me change the light bulb! Can I? Can I? Huh? Huh? Can I?

Malamute: Let the Border collie do it. You can feed me while he’s busy.

Doberman Pinscher: While it’s dark, I’m going to sleep on the couch.

Mastiff: Mastiffs are NOT afraid of the dark.

Hound Dog: ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Chihuahua: Yo quiero Taco Bulb.

Pointer: I see it, there it is, right there…

Greyhound: It isn’t moving. Who cares?

Australian Shepherd: Put all the light bulbs in a little circle…

Old English Sheep Dog: Light bulb? Light bulb? That thing I just ate was a light bulb?

Current music: City Scape, by Jennifer Higdon

THE TOP TEN SIGNS YOUR CO-WORKER IS A COMPUTER HACKER

10. You ticked him off once and your next phone bill was for $20,000.

9. He’s won the Publisher’s Clearing House sweepstakes 3 years running.

8. When asked for his phone number, he gives it in hex.

7. Seems strangely calm whenever the office computer network goes down.

6. Somehow gets HBO on his PC at work.

5. Mumbled, “Oh, puh-leeez” 95 times during the movie “The Net.”

4. Massive 401k contribution made in half-cent increments.

3. His video dating profile lists “public-key encryption” among hobbies.

2. When his computer starts up, you hear, “Good Morning, Mr. President.”

1. You hear him murmur, “Let’s see you use that Visa card now, Professor I-Don’t-Give-A’s-In-Computer-Science!”