By 
Food Tip of the Day
Most of the 13 million tons of pasta made in the world is consumed by Italy, the U.S., and Russia, in that order. However, many amazing facts about pasta are not known by most consumers.
Of those 13 million tons, America produces 4 billion pounds, but eats 6 billion pounds annually.
America’s first pasta factory was opened in 1848 in Brooklyn, New York.
Pasta loving Americans need to thank Thomas Jefferson, the third American President, for bringing pasta to America in 1789. The form of pasta that President Jefferson brought was macaroni.
Spaghetti was once set up as a joke by the BBC. On April 1, 1957, a film was televised reporting on Switzerland’s spaghetti crops. Spaghetti was shown as being harvested from bushes. Some viewers fell for the prank and calls came to the BBC asking where to buy spaghetti bushes.
World Pasta Day is celebrated on October 25.
National Spaghetti Day is celebrated on January 4.
Pasta’s name is derived from the Italian word for paste. Dried pastas are made from flour and water. A mixture of flour and water is a recipe for homemade paste. Only freshly made pastas contain eggs.
Spaghetti, macaroni, and penne are the three most popular shapes of pasta. Over 600 pasta shapes can be found worldwide.
The first time pasta was printed in a book was in 1154 and was referring to spaghetti.
The Greek God Vulcan was credited with inventing a device that made strings of dough.
When wondering how much pasta is a serving make a fist. The fist is the size of one cup of cooked pasta.
The Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguichi took instant noodles into space for the first time in 2005.
There is a noodles museum in Osaka, Japan, that archives 4560 kinds of noodles.
Author Marilyn Pokorney
Copyright Marilyn Pokorney 2022
