chan

Do you think spaghetti originated from china? No other european country has that kind of noodle-like staple. I think Marco Polo might have brouht it back. Does anybody know the answer?

dr bob

You are right chan it was brought back from China. The dish so often linked with Germany and other European countries, saurkraut, also originated in Asia (think of Korean kimchee)

Tee

I think that was the first Chinese take out!

noodle

Yes, it originates from China, and I think you are right about the Marco Polo part, too. Only Chinese noodels are usually made of rice, and proper Italian ones are made of durum wheat.

Carol

No, this issue came up previously in a thread about Chinatowns in Europe. <BR><BR>Spaghetti-like pasta was first used in Europe in Sicily, which was influenced by the foods of the Arab world. It then spread from Sicily to mainland Italy.<BR><BR>P.S. Iced confections were also introduced via Sicily.

mmmm

It is true that Polo brought spaghetti from China to Italy, but the reason other Chinese dishes never caught on in Italy is because there was a shortage of cats there.

Liam

I also heard the Chinese noodle story, which seems to make sense. I never heard the Sicily link, but won't dispute it.<BR><BR>Two other omni-present Italian staples, the tomato and the bean had never been seen in Europe until European settlers brough them back from the Americas. Interesting since the combination of the three makes the signature Italian soup (pasta e fagioli).

Carol

If you do a little bit of research you'll find plenty of mention of the sicilian origins of pasta. I read the most about it in Pomp and Sustenance, a cookbook/food history book by Mary Taylor Simeti, but you can also read about this elsewhere, including on the internet.

chan

Did fabulous Italian silk come from China too? I'm going to buy my Gucci scarf in Shanghai for US$5.