There is a lot of talk about Italian food in general. After all, it is essentially one of the key pillars of the American diet. However, while everyone is always (understandably) fussing over pizza and pasta, Italian food doesn’t stop after the “Secondo” (Italian for the main course). Allow WOOD Silverlake, an Italian restaurant and local favorite, to introduce you to the world of the best Italian desserts.
Cannoli
Highly popular in American culture, and not just because of the famous line from The Godfather, cannoli have become a must-have dessert in most Italian restaurants across the United States. You are probably already familiar with them. They are tube-shaped shells of fried pastry dough that are filled with a sweet filling, almost always creamy and containing ricotta cheese. Cannoli can be found in a variety of sizes, from tiny finger-sized tubes to big portions to be held with your whole hand.
These originated in the Sicilian areas of Palermo and Messina, where they were a staple of the Carnevale season before Lent started. Eventually, they became year-round desserts and, upon mass immigration from Southern Italians to the United States during the 19th and 20th centuries, were common across North American food joints. Like the rest of Italian food, cannoli thrives on being a very well-prepared yet simple dish that can be easy to make with the right ingredients. Since their introduction to North American cuisine, many different kinds of cannoli have emerged, using other ingredients such as ice cream and chocolate.
Affogato
Coffee is a very important part of Italian cuisine and culture. Italy is, after all, the birthplace of the espresso. The “Caffè” (Italian for “coffee”) is even a distinct part of the common meal structure in Italy, usually taken right after the “Dolce” or dessert. It was only a matter before this led to the combination of these two stages of the meal structure. Affogato, which appropriately means “drowned” in Italy, was first introduced to the mainstream United States culture in the nineties. However, it was until the last few years that the trend really took force (to the point that even Starbucks started offering its own “Americanized” version).
Affogato further demonstrates the importance of simplicity and quality in Italian cuisine. The dessert consists of a scoop of vanilla gelato (or also ice cream) that is drowned in a shot of hot espresso (hence the name). In order for the dessert to be ideal, it is recommended to use freshly ground coffee (never instant one) in order to properly compliment the flavor of the ice cream. There are even a few variations that incorporate liquors such as amaretto or Bicerin. While this seems like a pretty straightforward dessert, its introduction to the American public has led to a lot of experimentation in its form.
Visit Us at Wood Silverlake
If you are looking for the best place to have a good Italian meal accompanied by the best Italian desserts, we at Wood Silverlake are the place for you. Cannoli and affogato are only some of the delicious desserts we have on our menu, and that’s nothing to say of our main courses. Visit us at 2861 Sunset Blvd and try them out for yourself!