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by Francine Black
A nice pot of sauce with meat balls and hot Italian sausages ready to grace a bowl of hot pasta on this rainy, cold Friday night!
Spaghetti and meatballs as a meal, believe it or not, did not originate in Italy. Pasta is not even of Italian origin but rather came to Italy from China via the 13th century Venetian explorer, Marco Polo. (remember chicken “noodle” soup?). After that time, the long thin strands of pasta were served with light sauces of olive oil, garlic and herbs.
Polpette or as we know them, meatballs, were tiny things and served in a broth or soup. The delicious Italian wedding soup would be an example.
We must also recall that tomatoes did not arrive in Europe from Central America until centuries later. It was in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s with the arrival of Italian immigrants to New York City that those wonderful cooks adapted their traditional recipes to the ingredients available in America. One such adaptation is the now internationally beloved dish, spaghetti and meatballs!
Italian-American cuisine has taken on a life of its own with a myriad of marvelous pasta dishes, sauces, antipasti, desserts and beverages. Isn’t our country simply a wonderful melting pot of immigrant culture, art, food, medicine, music, fashion… the list is endless.
High in the mountains above Bally, where the dense groves of treetops seem to touch the sky, is Francine Black, Boyertown’s own version of chef Julia Child. Her daily activities reflect the things she most values: family and friends, music, and lovingly prepared food.
Editor's suggestion -- If you want to shorten the time and effort in making Italian Wedding Soup, you can buy bags of the ready-made meatballs at Burts Meats on Rt. 100 North.
More News from Boyertown
- A Pictorial Tour Through the History of Boyertown: Auto Body Works page 93 Boyertown Carriage Works to Boyertown Auto Body Works--page 93
- "B Inspired" Finds Lisa Cellini's The Swamp Door an Example of Resilience From humble beginnings, The Swamp Door finds uncommon success in meeting economic and personal challenges through the uncommon skills and energy of owner Lisa Cellini.
