Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - First trip to Italy. What is the correct way to eat spaghetti?

Hello everybody ! Being italian,reading this post was a lot of fun to me. I have to say that generally people on this forum have excellent knowledges of italian food. I am going to try to help you on this question: Rule #1 (and maybe the only rule) as many of you said is to enjoy yourself, all the others rules have to be perceived only as technical advices that have nothing to do with formal good education, behaviour or appearance, Italians really don't care the way you choose to enjoy your meal. The reason why you don't cut your spaghettis is that once you do it they are not spaghettis anymore. Most of the different pastas (spaghettis, bucatinis, rigatonis etc...) are made with the same exact ingredients, their differences in tasting is based really only in their shape, and beleive me, the shape really makes a difference, not just an impression. I personaly love the feeling of sucking spaghettis into my mouth, when you cut them you not only loose that pleasure but they will be more crunchy and will be too much al dente, they will swim more in the sauce, therefore will taste differently. However, you may prefer them that way, if your choice is not based on just facilities'matter but more on a matter of taste then follow rule #1 and cut those damned spaghettis!!! The spoon is used very rarely only in the south and only when they serve spaghettis with heavy tomato sauce. Cappuccino is made with heavy hot milk cream which is very good to heat you up in the morning but it is very bad for digestion matters. It will make you feel very heavy after a big italian lunch. Generally people avoid to take it after meals, those who are lucky enough to have a siesta will take an amaro which help digestion, those who have to work immediately ask for italian espressos, which are little bombs very helpfull to get your energy back