Non posso parlare, io sto mangiando!

Here's a list of pastas that I have encountered throughout my Italian life-style.

Gnocchi; Spaghetti; Farfalle; Ruote; Linguini; Ravioli; Tortellini; Fusilli; Lasagna; Maccheroni; Cannelloni; Conchiglioni; Penne; Rigatoni; Ziti; Stelline; Risi; Risoni; Ditalini; Ditali lisci; Pipe.

This might as well be the amount of words I can say in Italian, too. ... Yeah, I can't speak Italian fluently, but I know enough words to tell my mom a secret on the bus; to curse when I am right annoyed, or know when my nonna is saying, "Come, have something to eat!" That's all that matters, right?

I have come to notice that if there's anything that is important in the Italian culture - it has to be our cuisine.We would rather preserve a recipe for a really good tomato sauce, than preserve our language. Yes, we are right proud of the food that we make, even though it appears as if we are actually just pawning off of other cultures: (noodles and pizza are actually of Asian descent, and tomatoes were discovered in the Caribbean)...

Is it just me, or is living the same culture all your life very boring? There are days where I overlook the qualities of other cultures, and I am awestruck... I am even more awestruck when I encounter an individual who has TWO cultural backgrounds. One of the most amazing cases I have seen, is one of my good highschool friends: Off the top of my head, I know that she is Maltese, Spanish, French, and Scottish. I can guarantee there's more. But I won't go ahead and ask her, because I want this reference to be a surprise. HI!!! :D

But I digress.

 So yes, as an Italian, I am very knowledgeable of the food that I am eating. And would you like to know something interesting? I'm sure all of us are aware of the famous Renaissance Italian sculptors; but I bet you didn't realize that even our pasta are dainty, edible sculptures too! Allow me to present to you some of the most interesting shapes of pasta-dom:

Stelline - the "tiny star" pasta!

Farfalle - the "butterfly" pasta!

Ruote - the "cart-wheel" pasta!

Shape effects what an object looks like, and therefore, a shape can be used to create similarities to another object. This is the process of creating sculptures. I can tell you, that by the looks of some pasta-shapes, that they are nothing more than miniature edible sculptures. In the above pasta-shapes in particular, all of these shapes create a certain appeal particularly for Italian/American/Canadian children. Wouldn't you know that a certain shape is a bit more appealing - and appetizing than another? 

"Stelline" is a type of "pastina" - this means "tiny pasta"! Pastina is a dish most often served to toddlers - because their small size is easy to spoon and swallow whole. Not only that, but the shapes of most pastinas are just so fun! Stelline - which means "tiny stars", is one of the most common pastinas I had in my life, and I can tell you that I'd certainly feel like a tiny star after warming with a hearty bowl of stelline after an hour of playing in the snow during kindergarten, getting my socks and snowpants soaked! Mmm... Nostalgialicious! 

"Farfalle" means "butterflies" in Italian, and you can tell by its shape, the shape is so close to butterfly wings. However, my cousins would call this pasta "bow-tie" pasta, because, well, yeah, they clearly look like bow-ties, too! Bow-tie pasta is most yummy in a garlic oil, or creamy white sauce. That said, I've seen it served most often during special occassions. Well sure, they're just so fancy!

And then, there's "Ruote", which is also known as "cart-wheel" pasta. There's not much more to say, except.. "VROOOM!! VRROOOM!" Yeah that doesn't make much sense. Carts don't have engines.

Anyway, shape is a principle of art which leads you to think of symbolic things. Pasta is a good example!