It all started when gastronomy authors Clara and Gigi Padovani published 'History, curious facts & interpretations of the most beloved Italian sweet'. The book sought to define the origins of globe-trotting tiramisu, the spongey dessert made with coffee, biscuit, mascarpone and rum or brandy essence.
The book reopened an old wound, a conflict between two neighbouring regions as to the origin of the national treasure dessert and classic Italian symbol.
Now, thanks to a request by Friuli-Venezia Giulia province, tiramisù has been officially designated and recognized on the list of traditional, gastronomic products in the region.
It's "a very important achievement, a novelty that fills us with satisfaction," said Cristiano Shaurli, an agricultural assessor for the region, cited in Repubblica.
Tiramisu, which in Italian literally means 'lift me up', is said to date from the mid 19th century, where it was allegedly first served at a restaurant in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region in northern Italy.
The governor of the neighbouring Veneto region was unimpressed however by the dessert's new official home, arguing it should instead be his province that is recognized as the eponymous sweet's home.
"In the face of this decree I am literally grounded. I hope the minister has done so in good faith and that someone has flipped him in the wrong papers, otherwise we would really have to worry about it," Veneto governor Luca Zaia told Il Giornale.
Tiramisu has now being registered as a Friuli product in the Pat, which awards a certain status to products that are rooted in a specific region, culture or production method.
The list began in 2000. The Ministry for Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies, which compiles the list, stressed in several Italian dailies that just because tiramisu has been recognized as a product of Friuli, this does not exclude other regions from applying to add it as a product of their own, according to Messaggero Veneto.
The Italian Academy of Cuisine in Udine first requested that the ministry decide on the origins of the dessert.
"By signing this decree and attributing to Friuli Venezia Giulia this first sign of recognition, the ministry states in essence that it does not matter that five million Venetians are recognized - especially Treviso - as having as a typical product tiramisu, which we really eat everywhere," added Veneto governor Luca Zaia, cited in Repubblica.
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