The holiday season has finally arrived and there’s no way we can control ourselves from indulging in the palatable fervor of festive goodies, desserts and more. We all patiently wait till the end of the year to celebrate the wonderful Christmas time with our friends and family in the most special manner as we can. So this year, lighten up your celebrations, bring home the festivities and spread joy, love, smile and happiness with a glass of Zabaione.
Zabaione is a classic Italian dessert made of egg yolks, sugar and a splash of sweet wine. It is another version of custard but light and whipped up in such a way to incorporate a large amount of air. Interestingly, some may call it a rich Italian custard while others see it as a beverage. Perhaps can we also call it an Italian eggnog? Whatever this dessert may be referred to as, what worth talking about is its heavenly taste, creamy and frothy appearance. This delightful Italian dessert is ultimately relished during the joyous time of Christmas and New year and is immensely popular in other countries where it's known by quite a lot of names. In Argentina and Uruguay, it is known as Sambayón, which is also the name of an ice cream flavour in the country. In Colombia, it’s popular as Sabajon while in France it's called Sabayon. Since the 1960s, restaurants in the United States have been serving this dessert with fresh strawberries, blueberries, peaches and with other fruits in a champagne coupe.
History of Zabaione:
Tracing the fine history of this exquisite Italian dessert takes us back in time, almost to the second half of the 15th century. It was during this ancient time when the first recipe of Zabaione appeared in a manuscript collection at the Morgan Library Cuoco Napoletano. On the other hand, in Tuscany, it is believed that this dessert was well-known since the 16th century. Other countries claim that the original name for the sweetmeat was Sambayon, given in honor of Saint Pascal Baylon. In Emilia-Romagna, it is claimed to have been named after the Baglioni family whose men, in foraging for his troops, could come up with eggs, honey, white wine and herbs for whipping up this drink.
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