Italy is obviously known for many things, but food might be the number one. There is pizza, olive oil, tomatoes, and PASTA! Some believe that pasta was brought over by Marco Polo from China, but they’re wrong. Instead, pasta in various forms have been around since the Etruscan times, as shown by the frescoes in Etruscan tombs. Thereafter, pasta was written about during the Roman empire and in ancient Arabic texts. This all occured before Marco Polo even came back from China. Due to Italy’s long history with pasta, it has truly become a staple part of the Italian diet.
On this trip, we have enjoyed pasta in various ways. From various dishes during lunch (the Italian way) to numerous ragu pasta’s at dinner. In fact, Olivia and I almost always order whichever pasta happens to be the ragu–no matter what else is on the menu. We’ve barely even ventured from the primi piatti into the secondi piatti because we like pasta so much!
Therefore, this post is to just give you a taste of the various types of pasta that exist in Italy, but mainly in Tuscany since that is where we have been studying. One of the most important types of pasta that we have both learned about and eaten a lot of has been pici pasta. This is a Sienese-specific type of pasta that is similar to spaghetti in that it is long but instead it is much thicker and doughier. It really is my favorite type and because of that I plan to bring two bags of it home so that my family can try it too! However, I now know that it is very important for me to find pici pasta somewhere in Chicago. I can’t live without it!
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Gabrielle Lubin
<p><span style="color: rgb(29, 29, 29); font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(237, 237, 237);">Ciao!! I’m a rising senior from Bowdoin College in Maine studying Psychology and Education. Even though I go to school in a small town, I’m from the big city of Chicago, but I am ecstatic to explore yet another beautiful small town, Siena! Starting in high school and continuing onto college, I have blogged about the various delicious desserts that I have been lucky enough to enjoy. This has been my way of expressing my sweet tooth for all to see and try. It has also allowed me the privilege and opportunity to try things that I never would have otherwise, such as a wide range of cuisines in various “local” areas that I may never have ventured to. For me, trying a new dessert—or food in general—is not only about how it tastes but also who you are with, what the atmosphere is like, and how you feel about the food. I aim to convey these experiences to my readers through photographs and short descriptions. I am anxious and open to try all that Italy offers to add onto my delectable list!</span></p>
