Now to reveal my favorite of all foods...Pasta, Macaroni, and any variation on that theme...
This Tuesday night, I am extremely fortunate to have been asked by our local Whole Foods
Market here in Monmouth County, N.J. to begin a series of cooking demonstrations.  I cook
many different foods and styles, but the rule of thumb for anything is start with what you love
the most.  So, a 4 week series of Regional Italian Pasta dishes is where I will begin.  The first
demo will be on a dish from Rome, the Lazio region of Italy.  It is Pasta all'Amatriciana..a pairing
of salty cured pancetta or guanciale (the second being the more authentic but not so easy to
find, unless you are in the Eternal city...), onions, tomatoes, chili, and olive oil.  Each demo lasts
for one hour, 471 Rt. 35 North, Middletown, N.J., 6:30pm-7:30pm, Whole Foods Market.

Pasta Italiana Series at Whole Foods

    For years I have been trying to direct my foodie energies in a direction which will share my
passion with those who know me and those who I have yet to meet.  My long term plan was to
offer in-house cooking classes and possibly to do in-store demos.  After careful consideration,
because I do have another career which I love and work at,  I decided to try my hand at blogging.
Well, that has led to the in-store demos at Whole Foods...the plan is on the move...my excitement
level is through the roof...Let's hope I don't burn the food...lol.

   Pasta is an amazing food...simple, easy to prepare..and it is very P.C.  Vegans, vegetarians,
all religious groups, cultures, meat lovers, healthy choice eaters...pasta can be made to suit any
one of these concerns...Just, I implore you, don't buy it out of a can....and some pairings, like many
marriages, are ill conceived and just plain wrong.   I am referring to the latest of the Olive Gardens'
pasta entrees...ricotta filled manicotti with a cream sauce (an infamnia) with shrimp....ok....no
good can come out of that disaster...apologies to those of you who find such a combo as correct
or enticing.  Every "rule"is broken on that mess...

    Sauteed green vegetables and garlic or onion, fruity olive oil, that is a basic marriage and start
for a great pasta dish.  The embellishments could be pignoli, raisin, anchovy, hot pepper...and
always pair a proper cheese with a pasta.  IT IS NOT ALWAYS PARMIGIANO!!  As all you loyal
readers know, I have a leaning  towards Pecorino Romano, Caciocavallo, Provolone, Mozzarella,
Ricotta, Burata, Scamorza...the backbone of the cheeses of Southern Italy.  It is a genetic predis-
position...all of my grandparents were born in the South of Italy, and I inhertited their foodways.  I
like the salty edge of a tangy sheeps' milk cheese, or the big strong bite of provolone...or the milky
smoothness of ricotta or mozzarella.  All of these items, included the fabulous cheeses of the
North of Italy make for a perfect dish with pasta.  I do try to pair a pasta dish with a cheese from the
recipes' region...just makes it more authentic, don't you think?  So, if I'm making a pesto dish from
Liguria, i'll use Parmigiano...A bigoli dish from the Veneto, Asiago may go on top, Pasta alla Norma
from Sicily, Ricotta Salata...Ragu' alla Napoletana, Pecorino Romano...and so on and so on...

    Take note here, fresh pasta and dried are two  different products, both awesome.  A plate of freshly
made Tagliatelle (the picture above) made with eggs, flour, olive oil..tossed with a simple tomato
sauce, is heavenly...dried pastas, cooked al dente, sauced with love are phenomenal.  I'm not even
getting into the global pasta network....manti from Georgia and Armenia, Dumplings from Bejing,
LoMein from Guangzhou, Pierogi from Poland, EggNoodles and Dumplings from Lancaster County's
Amish peoples, Spaetzle from Germany, Couscous from Morocco...etc etc etc.
Be creative with your pasta making....you will never ever be bored...it's not just tomato and pasta,
or garlic and oil, or...just keep adding things, only a few ingredients...easy and satisfying.  Here's
some examples of Mediterranean styles of making pasta:

 Boscaiola Style...meaning from the woods, a pairing of
Wild Mushrooms, sauteed with olive oil, chili, garlic, red wine, a little tomato and gemelli

  Alla Mollica, pasta sauteed in garlic, olive oil, black pepper, and
tossed with toasted breadcrumbs, grated caciocavallo, and ricotta..

  A saute' of cavatelli with sausage, fennel, spinach, olive oil, chili,
grated provolone, with or without the sausage, this is a fine dish

  Spaghetti with Crab Sauce,  fresh blue crabs, tomato, garlic, hot
pepper, olive oil

  Pastisio, ziti with ground beef or lamb seasoned with tomato, wine,
bay leaf, cinnamon, onion,  with a bechamel sauce, infused with nutmeg

  Spinach and ricotta Tortelloni with cream, pancetta, Pecorino
Toscano...