I just can’t believe it!
A “World Pasta Day” actually exists!
A day when the entire world has reason to rejoice.
You can probably already tell that I like pasta. In fact, I’ve never met a pasta I didn’t enjoy.
Whether it’s served with tomato sauce that’s simmered for hours, or a sauce that’s thrown together in a matter of minutes, it matters not to me.
Even if it’s topped with pesto or just garlic butter, the meal is special and deserving of respect.
Yes, pasta is a dish to be enjoyed under any and all circumstances.
Can you remember the best pasta meal you’ve ever had?
I recall a meal in Toronto on Yonge Street in the 1970’s. My client and I were walking down the street looking for a place to eat when we smelled the delicious odors wafting from an open doorway. We had no choice but to follow the invitation of smells and partake of the best they had to offer. Their chef used a generous amount of garlic and with the salad, bread, butter and olive oil we consumed our fill, and created memories that resist fading.
During my formative years I enjoyed the occasional can of spaghetti at room temperature. Yes, right out of the can, and now so many years later I do it less often, but I still consider it a good dish when I’m on the run.
In these modern days there are all kinds of spaghetti using different flour from various grains. For those who are allergic to wheat there is always the rice alternative.
Of course, all pasta is not spaghetti. There’s a seemingly infinite variety of thicknesses and sizes.
There’s macaroni, lasagna, and other popular configurations used in various dishes.
During warm weather we enjoy pasta salad, and it’s easy to make.
Yes, most pasta dishes can be made quickly and salad must be near the top of the list with a few chopped vegetables and a store-bought dressing. The dish can be cooked and assembled in under 20 minutes.
A friend of mine was invited to someone’s home for dinner where spaghetti was served with canned vegetable soup dumped on top. It was an unusual meal, but one that worked for that family.
The pasta historians tell us that it was invented by the Sicilians in the 12th century. I wonder if they ever considered how popular their invention would become.
It was considered a simple dish by them, but now with the invention of various sauces its complexity can be high for those with discriminating tastes. I confess an inability to discern between a good sauce that takes hours of careful preparation and a mediocre one that’s thrown together. I’ve eaten in some of the world’s best restaurants, but am unable to adequately distinguish the value of their efforts. It’s not that I don’t appreciate a good sauce, it’s just that they all taste good to me, and many of my friends.
So, on this special day, the 25th of October, you can put aside any requirements for dieting purposes and enjoy a good helping of pasta-one that will fill your tummy and release endorphins to make the experience memorable.
Pasta Day? Yes!
