Pasta Matters

Pasta to Italians is like noodles for the Asians. Pasta is an integral part of Italy’s culinary history. It is said that the first pasta produced can date back to the 13th to 14th centuries. The pasta was typically made from an unleavened wheat flour dough mixed with water and eggs. They are shaped into sheets, thin strands, or other versatile shapes.

Historians speculated pasta dishes became popular worldwide due to the extensive Mediterranean trading during the Middle Ages. The crops for cuisine, such as macaroni, ravioli, and gnocchi, grew increasingly across the Italian peninsula during the 13th century. In the 14th and 15th centuries, dried pasta became popular because it was easy to store. Only at the beginning of the 17th century, Italians began to have the basic machine for making pasta. With advanced technology for kneading and pressing machines, pasta manufacture became cost-effective. In 1877, Pietro Barilla opened his first bread and pasta shop in Parma, a city between Milan and Bologna.

During the 1900s, the artificial drying and extrusion process produced even larger pasta volumes, making pasta one of the export categories. In the 1950s, domestic appliances became available in most households. At the time, designers took advantage of new technology and made home appliances neater and compacter. These products also started to show stylistic references from the fashion at the time as symbols of modernity.

While intrigued by pasta’s history, I was about to order pasta online for dinner. Suddenly, a nutrition table popped on the screen, and a WELL feature came to mind.

“Help individuals make informed food choices through nutritional labeling and allergy information.” — WELL, N02, Nutritional Transparency.

On this pasta day, we dedicated this card to the product designers behind each pasta maker, the chefs behind each pasta dish, and those who enjoy delicious pasta regardless of where it came from.

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By the way, you might notice that many classic Italian restaurants’ exteriors feature extended awnings.

Awning’s history can be traced back to ancient Egypt and Syria, where people made woven mats to cover market stalls. In the first half of the 19th century, awnings began to appear on the streets in the United States. They became a common architectural feature after the civil war — partially because of the trend of industrialization. When the steamships advanced and no longer needed mainsail for orientation, canvas manufacturers and sailmakers were forced to search for new markets for their excessed fabric. By the 1960s, canvas fell out of favor and was replaced by vinyl and other synthetic materials, such as acrylic fibers and polyester. During the 1970s and 1980s, plastic covering also increased among awning applications.

For centuries after the invention of awnings, shops, restaurants, and grocers could convert sidewalks into outdoor seating or display area with various operable applications. Businesses also like to use bright colors and whimsical strips on the main street to draw visitors’ attention. Because these commercial awnings often extend to the public right of way, municipal departments usually regulate awning applications to maintain certain streetscape or look of a neighborhood.

P.S. If you want to dive deep into knowing awnings, “Preservation Briefs-the Use of Awnings on Historical Buildings: Repair, Replacement and New Design.” by Chad Randl is an excellent resource to start. You can find that article through National Park Service website.