I’m just back from the Tiramisu World Cup. Sadly, I didn’t make it through the heats to the semi-final. I was up against some formidable competition – amateur chefs, maybe, but I suspect many held masters-level qualifications in Tiramisu Studies!

The people I gave samples to loved the taste, but there was some unfortunate subsidence in the structure. This was due to the Italian ladyfingers being of a different composition to those that I use in the UK. They became immediately soggy on contact with any liquid. I suspect sabotage. You might call this a deconstructed tiramisu, worthy of the most modern chef. But it reminded me of the way an unstable building sometimes topples over.

The idea was to create a basket with a handle. This was a side splittingly-humorous play on the word tiramisu, which means pick-me-up. I’m not sure they got the joke.

It was quite daunting – as the rounds progressed, the judges became ever-more professional pastry chefs, with some stunning outfits to match. I didn’t get that far in the competition, and the three judges I had in the heats looked more like students who needed some extra cash or some food. Or probably both!

I’m pleased to report that LittlePod’s legendary vanilla paste did its job taste-wise. However, all in all, and to use language often attributed to football managers, no parrot has ever been so sick. And that was before I tasted all the tiramisus on offer.

Incidentally, on the day that the Tiramisu World Cup final is held, Treviso – a delightful place, by the way – also hosts a half-marathon. Who said irony was dead? I’ll recommend that they hold the race the following day in future, with a special entry for people who over-indulged in tiramisu!

This was a fun experience. My stomach held out and, despite those structural issues, I left the Tiramisu World Cup with my head held high and a line from TS Eliot in my mind. That line? ‘I have seen the moment of my greatness flicker.’

So I’m back home and back in the kitchen and looking forward to making something that isn’t tiramisu. Maybe this – a favourite recipe that will transport me straight back to Italy. Now, I wonder where the Torta di Nonna World Cup is held…

From the team here in East Devon, we send vanilla hugs and our congratulations to David, who did LittlePod proud in Italy! Thank-you for putting LittlePod products to such good use in Treviso and for helping to raise awareness of our Campaign for Real Vanilla in what is such a special week for us all.

We’re all set to mark International Real Vanilla Day, the most important date on the LittlePod calendar, on October 17th, this Thursday, and this is the perfect start to our celebrations. Will YOU join David and help us raise a toast to REAL vanilla? You don’t have to travel to Treviso!

Join us on Instagram, get creative in the kitchen and above all, do be sure to keep it REAL. Find more details about how to get involved here.