Where you place the origins of pasta depends a great deal on how you define it. There is evidence that the ancient Etruscans prepared a wheat and egg paste, but it was baked not boiled. Does that count? There are artifacts from a period 3,000 years ago that look remarkably like pasta dies and extruders. […]

Right: Wine map of the U.S.
In a state that produces 90% of all US wine, the vineyards of Sonoma and Napa in Northern California are justly famous. But they have no monopoly on quality, the wines from the newer Southern California wineries are an equal match for any of their northern sisters.
Most Southern California wine […]

One of the most remarkable things about pasta isn’t just how long it’s been around. It’s that, plus the fact that it has changed so little over the hundreds, or perhaps thousands of years that it has been made and consumed. While the ancient Greeks and Romans undoubtedly made and prepared pasta differently than is […]

Nothing should be simpler than cooking pasta. After all, it’s just a matter of heating some water to a boil and tossing a wheat and egg-based product into a pot for a few minutes, right? But within this seemingly simple operation lies many potential pitfalls.
To avoid them, though, requires nothing more than a little thought […]

Fettuccine all’Alfredo is among the simplest, yet tastiest pasta dishes. The ingredients are easily obtained and the procedure can successfully be carried out by even the most cooking-challenged of chefs.
First invented by the Roman chef after whom the dish is named, it consists of just pasta, parmigiano and butter.
You’ll need:
1 lb fettuccine
1/2 lb parmigiano reggiano […]

There is a fascinating variety of pasta making machines on the market, but they all perform the same basic task. But then, all cars perform the same basic task. Yet some get you there in style, while others merely take you from place to place.
Once you have a mound of pasta dough, to turn it […]

After you’ve experimented a while with pastas from various sources, you’ll want to venture out on your own. Making your own homemade pasta offers the same delight as grinding your own coffee, growing your own vegetables and other do-it-yourself food and drink projects. You get the same advantages as those others, as well: a truly […]

Pasta, like many foods high in carbohydrates, often gets a bad reputation. But a little basic nutrition knowledge can dispel that right away.
Carbohydrates, though they are sometimes made out to be villains, are actually similar to natural sugars. When broken down they provide a major source of glucose, which is the body’s ‘energy factory’. Glucose […]

One of the great things about pasta is not just its inherent great taste, but its versatility. Because of the variety of shapes it can take on, and its sturdy structure, it can be stuffed with meat or smothered in meat sauce. Bacon, beef, lamb, chicken… they all go great with pasta, in the noodle […]

Right: Wine map of France
In the triangle formed near the Mediterranean coast by Nice in the east, Marseille in the west and Avignon to the northwest, lies the region of Provence.
Provence was the first region in France to turn to winemaking some 2,600 years ago. Today some 500 wineries tend vineyards on 68,000 acres — […]