It's World Pasta Day! Dough Not Miss It!

On October 25th of each year, the world over, World Pasta Day is celebrated in the form of events and promotional initiatives in different countries of the world. The objective of World Pasta Day is to draw attention of the media (hello here we are) and consumers ( hello here we are again)... to Pasta!

Pasta is one of the great global foods consumed in all five continents, having unquestionable merits. appropriate for a dynamic and healthy lifestyle, capable of meeting both primary food requirements and those of high level gastronomy, says the World Pasta Association.

World Pasta Day is not to be confused with National Pasta Day.  National Pasta Day was Oct 17th. A day we keep all the pasta to ourselves.

Anyway... those National Pasta People know their stuff. They say....

Pastas origins are ancient. Contrary to popular belief, Marco polo did not discover pasta in Asia and bring it to Italy. In fact, in 1279 AD, a will drafted by Ponzio Bastone was found bequeathing a storage bin of 'macceroni' when Marco Polo was still in the Far East. (Marco shoulda looked in the bin before he took off)

Early Romans used a very simple flour and water dough.

PASTA is the Italian word for dough.

Thomas Jefferson introduced pasta to the Americans after first tasting it in Naples, Italy. He was the American Ambassador to France at the time. In 1789, he brought the first pasta machine, along with crates of macaroni, back to The United States.

Pasta became a common North American food late in the 19th century with the surge of Italian immigration.

Now On To The Meaning Of Your Favorite Pasta Shapes!

There are over 600 Known Pasta Shapes

It is the shape of the noodle that gives pasta its name.  Some examples:

Spaghetti - cord                              
Linguini - little tongues
Vermicelli - little worms                   
Conchiglie - shells
Rotini - spirals                                
Fettucine - small ribbons
Ravioli - little turnips                        
Capellini - fine hairs
Fusilli - little spindles                      
Cannelloni - tubes
Tortellini - little cakes                      
Penne - quills
Rigatoni - short, wide fluted tubes   
Lasagna - broad, sometimes ruffled, ribbons of pasta

So ...enough now with the backstory. Time To Celebrate! Let's Eat!

Delusionally Young & Yours,

Debbie Nigro