In order to understand the significance of the noodle, one must unravel the history of both China and Italy. For each of these countries, the noodle is much more than a prepared starch to satisfy hunger. The noodle is a two-syllable word that encompasses thousands of dishes. These dishes remind Italians and Chinese of their history simultaneously bringing them joy, luck, income, friendship, and more. When presented with noodles in either China or Italy the possibilities are endless. How you decide to eat your noodles, who you share your noodles with, and what special gift your noodles will grace you with after that meal. The noodle is love, the noodle is wealth, the noodle is happiness, the noodle is health; the noodle brings prosperity to the lives of those who consume it. Prosperity is representative of flourishing in all aspects of life. This idea of a prosperous life is the true significance of the noodle in both China and Italy.
While the noodle enlightens both the Chinese and Italians, living a prosperous life holds a different meaning for each country. For the Chinese, the noodle signifies living a life filled with love and health. Love, or 爱 (ài) in Chinese, is a simple word with such overbearing significance to humans. To the Chinese, the best way to express your love for another is with the gift of food; the noodle. In Terry Durack’s, “Noodle”, his chapter “Crossing the Bridge” tells of a brief exchange of affection shared between a boy and his family’s chef. The chef loves the boy as his own son and what better way to express this affection than through a piping hot bowl of his notorious noodle soup. The story writes that the boy, unable to pass his exams, is sent to a cottage over the bridge during the coldest time of year. The chef, who adores the boy as his own, would trek to bring him food every day, however, the winds would chill the food before it reached the young boy. Through 爱 (ài), the chef found a way to deliver the soup, scorching hot, to the boy by disassembled the components and putting them together upon arriving at the wind-chilled cottage. The chef explains, “It is the fat that keeps out the wind, the cold, and the bad spirits. Now that you have the nourishment you need, learning will come naturally and gracefully” (Turack). Not once did the chef say the words ‘I love you’ aloud, rather, he displayed his care and affection for the boy through his noodles and the nourishment, power, and success that they brought the boy. In addition to this, noodles represent health for the Chinese. Health can often be intertwined with love as oftentimes those who love us are those who care for us. Each noodle dish in China contains its own meaning and tells its own story. The article “Noodles traditionally and today” tells of a noodle dish which restores health in those we love. “Seafood noodles (三鲜伊面) are also called dutiful son’s noodle (孝子面). According to historical records, Yi Yin’s (伊尹) mother was perennially sick and bedridden. So he made noodles with eggs and flour, and then steamed and fried these noodles. Even if he was not at home it was convenient for his mother to eat these nonperishable noodles. The noodles were added to a soup made with chicken, pig bones, and seafood. Under the tender care of Yi Yin, his mother soon recovered. This was the reason why seafood noodles are also called dutiful son’s noodles” (Zhang & Ma). Whether it was the noodles mixed with eccentric seafood or the love passed through the hands of the dutiful son into his noodles that healed the mother, this story displays the true value of the noodle to the Chinese. Regardless of the presentation of the noodle, there is no doubt that this stretched out wheat holds immense love and care for the Chinese. The noodle leads the Chinese to a prosperous life, one of good health and loving family members.
Noodles also signify a prosperous life for Italians, but in a slightly different way than the Chinese. Living a prosperous life for an Italian is being surrounded by family, friends, and the ability to let their creativity flow into their homemade pasta. While the Chinese are creative in terms of the spices and garnishes that engorge their noodles, the Italians spread their creativity through the shapes of the pasta. The grandmothers, or Nonne, instill their ideas into a slab of dough, bringing a to life coils, bowties, butterflies, and more. Each noodle, with its varying shape, pairs with particular sauces, grabbing onto their flavor bringing to the table family, friends, and most importantly happiness. The book, “Form and substance (discussion around a plate of pasta)” perfectly describes the significance of the creativity that brings the Italian noodle to life. The author writes, “And yet experience teaches us that different shapes of pasta, although alike in substance, produce different effects on the taste buds.” “ If we season pasta with nothing but butter and parmesean (the “classic” sauce for any pasta from the Middle Ages to the eighteenth century) and taste it, a forkful of spaghetti will not have the same flavor as a forkful of macaroni or of gnocchi. Chewing a strand of thin spaghetti will not be like chewing a thick one, and smooth macaroni will not have the same taste as ribbed macaroni. Form leads to a different flavor.” “There is no form without substance, and no substance without form.” (Montanari). Each noodle reflects upon the creativity of the chef who personally presses into the dough. In addition to this, the varying shapes of the noodles reflect upon the culture and history of different families residing in different cities in Italy. For instance, rotini reflects the name of the pasta, a coiled screw. The purpose of the screw is to grab onto various sauces in order to enhance the dish. This pasta is both pleasing to the eye and the stomach. The Italians are able to instill their creativity into beautiful dishes but also efficient noodle dishes. Overall, the noodle signifies the creativity of each individual Italian chef. Creativity in food heightens the experience of eating a meal. This factor is what gathers friends and family, a beautiful dish of noodles.
The noodle plays such an integral role in food culture of each country because it has, for centuries, been the center of all life. For each country, the noodle maintains the largest presence on the pyramid of health making it a staple food. Not only does it taste good, but it also has crucial health benefits in the eyes of the Chinese and Italians. Both countries rely on noodle in order to maintain a balanced life. For each country, a balanced life varies although many of their core values overlap. With an overwhelming presence in each country, the noodle began to evolve. It was soon included in fables, health practices, and family traditions. What was once a foreign crop became a crucial part of daily life in China and Italy. The noodle provides a lifestyle, not just a meal. It provides friendships, strengthens families, improves health, and creates memories. The spices, sauces, and herbs that coat the noodles excite your tastebuds while the people you share the noodles with and the stories that encourage you to eat them excite your mind and emotions. The noodle contains no negativity which is why it plays such an integral role in food culture in each country separately.
Definition: Noodle (noun): Traditionally a combination of flour, water, and eggs, kneaded and formed into the desired shape depending on the country or region it is being served in. A noodle can also expand the scope of the historical definition to include other ingredients such as vegetable noodles of zucchini, gluten-free noodles of a substitute flour, rice noodles, and much more. Noodles are prepared in various ways depending on the chef they can be boiled, satéd, baked, or steamed.
Various sauces, such as red sauce, soy sauce, gravy sauce, etc. may be added to enhance flavor and meaning as well as various thicknesses, shapes, and sizes to enhance visuals. In addition to this, toppings may be added upon serving the noodles, depending on where the noodle is being served such as chicken, spring vegetables, garlic, or parmesan cheese to name a few. Finally, noodles can also be served in soups, on a plate, in a bowl, or in a casserole depending on the desired result.
Warning: The noodle provides extreme happiness, social, and health benefits.
Sources:
Image: https://www.reddit.com/r/Infographics/comments/6nwmwv/30_world_famous_noodle_dishes_from_around_the/
Quotes:
“Let the Meatballs Rest” by Massimo Montanari
“Noodles Traditionally and Today” by Na Zhang and Guansheng Ma
“Crossing the Bridge” in Noodle by Terry Durack