To us the word "morbid" has rather negative connotations: "Of the nature of, or indicative of, disease." The second meaning is "of mental conditions, unwholesome, sickly." The etymology (according to the OED) is from the Latin morbid-us = disease, with comparisons offered to French morbide and Italian and Spanish morbido.
So why are the Italian foods designated "morbido" ? Google offers an Italian/English translation to "soft" - which seems to fit the desserts depicted. That's the answer, but how are the words connected? By what etymological journey did a word meaning disease come to designate softness? As a reflection of the putrefactions of advanced disease?
Perhaps related to this question, I see a third meaning in the OED: in the world of painting, morbido refers to "flesh-tints" ("painted with morbidezza" - after It. morbido). This citation from 1686 is offered: "There is a thing which the Italians call Morbidezza: The meaning of which word, is to Express the Softness, and tender Liveliness of Flesh and Blood."
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