Clear the table—it’s time for dessert. In fact, the word “dessert” comes from the French word desservir, meaning “to clear the table.” But while the word was first used in the 1300s, the concept of special sweet foods had been around for well over 1500 years before that. Early civilizations offered honey and fruits to the gods, but by 600 BC sugarcane had been discovered and utilized to sweeten blander foods. As exploration grew, so did trade, and sugarcane became a hot commodity by the Middle Ages. Sugar remained pricey and was purchased and used mainly by the wealthy and on special occasions.

Fortunately, in Italy, religious feast days provided many opportunities throughout the year for regular folks to sample and savor the creations of bakers and nuns until the early 20th century and the beginnings of more affordable processed sugar and foods.

Cannoli (singular “cannolo”) is believed to be an Arabian dessert that began in Sicily during the Arab occupation. The word means “little tube,” and the first cannoli were filled with fruits and nuts. They are usually made from deep fried pastry dough, wrapped around a tube or dowel, then, after setting, are filled with a sweetened ricotta cheese mixture. Variations include adding chocolate chips, flavorings, nuts, fruits or candies to either end or to the filling itself. Another variation from the Lazio and Abruzzo regions in Italy is using a pizzelle as the tube, molding the hot, soft cookie around the dowel.

Since sugar became part of the food system in the first millennium, what we would call cookies have been here, too—well, starting with Persia. At first they were hard little disks, popular for taking on long journeys, but the recipes and variations spread with travel. They were easy and inexpensive to make, and so were accessible to all classes.

The word cookie is most likely derived from the Dutch koekje meaning “little cake,” and that word and pastry came to America with 17th century Dutch settlers. Popular Italian-American cookies are the colorful butter cookies found in bakeries and weddings. The recipes closer to authentic Italian cookies include almond paste and possibly fruit or jam, but those with sprinkles and dollops of icing are the Americanized versions. Biscotti is the Italian name for cookie, but in the United States it’s a specific type of flavored toasted cookie.

Need a pick-me-up? You need tiramisu, which means “pick me up” or “cheer me up.” And it will.

While it may be based on a dessert from the 1600s, researchers attribute today’s tiramisu recipe to Roberto Linguanotto, a bakery owner in Veneto during the 1960s. The traditional recipe calls for layers of coffee soaked finger biscuits alternated with a whipped cream of mascarpone cheese, egg yolks, and sugar, then dusted with cocoa powder. It was also originally a round dessert, but layering the cookies in square or rectangular pans makes it more consistent aesthetically.

Once again, there are many variations to the basic recipe. Today many include alcohol—rum, Kahlua, Irish cream or Tia Maria. People often add whipped cream to the cheese mixture to lighten the texture. Instead of coffee, some recipes use amaretto or pureed fruits like berries or bananas.

Click here if you feel like cheering up your honey by making a special tiramisu for two from Allrecipes.com. And check out this week's Wine Pick, Prosecco, Italian sparkling wine for your Valentine.