Marsala is a fortified wine made near the Sicilian town of the same name, produced by adding neutral grape spirit to white wine, and sold in dry, semi-dry, and sweet styles. It was developed commercially in the late 1700s by the English merchant John Woodhouse, who fortified local Sicilian wine so it would survive the voyage to England. In cooking, Marsala is best known as the base for pan sauces in dishes such as chicken and veal Marsala, where it is reduced with stock or cream, and it is also used in desserts such as tiramisu and zabaione.