The noodle has been evolving for quite some time now. On China’s side of the evolution: “Many school children were taught that the Venetian merchant Marco Polo brought back pasta from his journeys to China” (History of Pasta). Cross the Pacific and find Italy’s side—noodles were already believed to be in Italy before Marco Polo’s return—thus: “Some may have also learnt that Polo’s was not a discovery, but rather a rediscovery of a product once popular in Italy among the Etruscans and the Romans” (History of Pasta). The question of whether this evolution first began in Italy or in China is a source of debate between the two, so we must discuss each pathway separately.
Let’s first begin with a brief walkthrough of the history of pasta in Italy. “There is indeed evidence of an Etrusco-Roman noodle made from the same durum wheat used to produce modern pasta: it was called “lagane” (origin of the modern word for lasagna). However this type of food, first mentioned in the 1st century AD, was not boiled, as it is usually done today, but ovenbaked” (History of Pasta). In other words, while the roots of modern pasta can be traced back to centuries ago, via similar ingredients, means of production have shifted dramatically—especially, with respect to the rise of machinery. Another example of this is modern-day spaghetti—although it existed in the 18th century, it was known by a different name, macaroni: “The modern word ‘macaroni’ derives from the Sicilian term for kneading dough with energy, as early pasta making was often a laborious, day-long process” (History of Pasta). Once again, this quote is evidence for a shift in the means of production—that is, what once began as a process of strenuous, manual labor, and drying, has shifted into one that takes a fraction of the time. How did the drying of pasta shift gears into a technological, simple, global process?
“By the 1300’s dried pasta was very popular for its nutrition and long shelf life, making it ideal for long ship voyages. Pasta made it around the globe during the voyages of discovery a century later. By that time different shapes of pasta have appeared and new technology made pasta easier to make” (History of Pasta).
Another major mark in the development and globalization of pasta was the ‘discovery’ of tomatoes, which were originally thought of to be poisonous. Today, pasta can be found worldwide, in a variety of forms, textures, sizes, etc. What makes pasta close to the heart for those of Italian descent lies in its history, as it is believed to derive its cultural roots from Italy. “It is estimated that Italians eat over sixty pounds of pasta per person, per year easily beating Americans, who eat about twenty pounds per person” (History of Pasta). To the modern-day Italian, the simple noodle not only reflects cultural identity thus acting as a source of pride, but also calls the concept of family to mind—especially when it is as good as a Nonna’s! The Italians themselves have many different versions of the noodle—A, such as Acini di Pepe, to Z, such as Ziti—defined by the different sizes and shapes, so there is much fodder for comparison and contrast to any noodle entrée to (An Intro To Italian Pasta). The noodle is a symbol of family to Italians (or even the Chinese) as it is a given to find it on the table at a family meal. In fact, rule number five in The Truth About Pasta, states the following: “Pasta is Tasty and Brings People Together” (The Truth About Pasta). The rule applies to just about anyone, of any culture… Interestingly, this book also declares the idea that “Pasta is from China” as a myth, stating that: “The Italian version of noodles—spaghetti made with durum wheat—had been produced in Sicily for two centuries before Marco Polo made his way back from China” (The Truth About Pasta). While there are two sides to this argument, it is still important to look into the development of pasta through another lens—that of China.
What is the importance of the noodle to the Chinese? The book, The Truth About Pasta, brings out this astonishing fact: “If we take into account instant pot noodles, China accounts for approximately half of the world’s pasta consumption” (The Truth About Pasta). It is the length of the noodle which symbolizes longevity as we also learned about in Durack’s Story, “Long-Life Noodles,” in the book, Noodle. In China, there is also an extensively wide variety of noodles. For example, one “cousin” of the noodle (one difference being that the flour from which it is made is leavened as opposed to the unleavened flour used for pasta) is the steamed bun, a staple food across the Chinese culture. I enjoyed the watching the assigned video, A Bite of China 02 The Story of Staple Food (HD), as it demonstrated how the creation of the steamed bun or noodle is much more than an ordinary cooking process—it starts with street vendors, then there is the carrying of supplies, the folding of dough, and the cutting of noodles. It holds a place as a cultural tradition that involves intricacy, precision, and true devotion to one’s culture. This might be difficult to capture in one glance, but fortunately, this film succeeds in doing so by going ‘behind-the-scenes’ documenting steps and events leading up to the final product… Another example of a noodle that is tedious to produce is the bamboo pole noodle, invented about a century ago: “The art has been passed from one generation to the next. It is time-consuming, labour-intensive work. The number of people who still choose to make it their livelihood is diminishing so it is worthwhile to record (or view) how it is done” (Noodles, Pressed and Pulled). Thus, anyone who puts in the time and effort to produce bamboo pole noodles must be extremely devoted to their work in the Chinese community. While in Italy, noodles required a lengthy drying process, in China, the dough had to undergo a lengthy, ‘pressing and pulling’ process: “The noodle-maker placed a piece of dough under the pole and sat on the end of the pole, bouncing up and down. The dough was pressed and folded repeatedly. He might do this for hours on end to make a stack of compressed noodle dough. The noodles were never dried so they were tender” (Noodles, Pressed and Pulled). Thus, in China, when any noodle-laden dish is set down on the table, is likely that the recipient, appreciates the manual labor and process that made it possible. Being a ‘noodle-maker’ was no easy job.
In the Chinese culture specifically, various types of noodles have different values—dependent upon the event or occasion with which the noodle is associated:
“At birthdays, people eat longevity noodles; at the time of marriage and moving into a new house people eat noodles with gravy, which means flavored life; on the day of lunar February 2 ‘dragon head,’ people eat dragon whiskers noodles to look forward to good weather. We eat different noodles in different seasons and different festivals” (Noodles: Traditionally and Today).
Thus, each type of noodle holds a different cultural significance. The previous examples are only a few of many noodle associations. Of particular interest is how certain noodles are intended to be served when an individual is sick. The noodle is ubiquitous, but the subcategories serve to mark these life significant events.
If I were to create a definition of the noodle based on my previous observations and findings about the noodle in China, Italy, and the United States, I would define the noodle as: an edible object that takes on various forms, textures, and sizes, that stemmed from Italy and China—it is soft to eat, is served in a multitude of settings (often with a sauce of some sort, from which it might assume a flavor ), and is made up of a dough that typically consists of wheat, flour, egg, and/or water. Defining the noodle becomes tricky, and has become even trickier over the years, given the gluten-free variations, such as the utilization of almond flour or chickpeas in pasta-making, and even the addition of squid ink or spinach to the dough. So you see there is no ‘perfect definition’ for the noodle with so many “variations on the theme.” I might add that there is a “literal” definition, and a looser one, based on what we have come to appreciate regarding the strong symbolism evoked by the simple noodle.
This photograph, I believe, encapsulates the most accurate portrayal of cooked noodles. Since it is difficult (and maybe even impossible) to find one photograph that depicts each and every quality and feature, I created a collage, incorporating various types of noodles from each culture—that is, Chinese and Italian cultures. On the top is the most basic type of noodle: spaghetti or long life noodles. In the middle section, are some of the various, popular types of Italian noodles: pappardelle, fusilli, penne, tortellini, and farfalle. The bottom third of the collage contains images, capturing the main types of Chinese noodles: udon, soba, ramen noodles, wonton noodle soup, and rice vermicelli noodles. Not only does this photo represent noodles hailing from two different cultures, but also the wide array of forms, shades, and sizes, and the subtle change in appearance and texture once a raw noodle is cooked. When I look at these photographs, I can almost get a “mouth-feel” as if I am actually eating!