For years and years and years I have wanted to try tiramisu, because it always looks so good when I see it in restaurants and cafes. But I do not have caffeine, and from what I remember of coffee flavoured things when I was a child, I really hate the flavour of coffee too – so I have never tried tiramisu.
I mentioned this to my wife the other day, when we were in a restaurant and I saw on the menu: orange “tiramisu”. I figured the quotes around “tiramisu” were to indicate that this was a tiramisu-inspired dessert, made with orange flavours, and so probably without coffee. I thought this would be awesome, because I might finally get to taste tiramisu for the first time. Being extra careful, I asked the waiter if the “tiramisu” dessert had any coffee in it. Alas, she replied that it did in fact contain coffee. So I didn’t order it.
Undaunted, my wife decided to find a recipe for tiramisu without coffee, and to make it for me. Here’s a simple one we found, and a more complex one. We’ll try the simple one first and see what I think of it.
So you haven’t tried anything with coffee flavour since you became an adult?
Not willingly. Once or twice I accidentally took a bite of something with coffee in it and quickly spat it out.
I don’t want anyone saying, “If you try it now you might like it,” because I’m never going to have it anyway, because of avoiding caffeine. I’d hate to start liking something I’m never gong to have. :-)
I avoided saying exactly that, suspecting a reason like this one.
However, I’m curious: how do you consider caffeine something to avoid at all costs and not, as alcohol, something to drink occasionally in moderation. If you can be an occasional wine taster without becoming an alcoholic, you can surely become an occasional coffee-flavored dessert taster without becoming addicted to caffeine.
Then, as an Italian I feel like Tiramisù alone is worth a caffeine addiction for life, but that’s another story… :-)