Pasta And Cake Make For Good Reading

Yesterday's Times Dining section had two fun articles. One was an article with an Italian pasta historian and writer while the other had to deal with the blog Cake Wrecks which features badly decorated bakery cakes. Being a big fan of both pasta and cake I enjoyed them both, learning and laughing along the way. The Times certainly had a good buffet of articles featured yesterday.

The first article, written by Rachel Donadio is an interview with Bolognese writer Oretta Zanini de Vita. Signora' de Vita's latest book The Encyclopedia of Pasta has just been translated into English and is out in the bookstores now (this is a perfect Christmas gift. ) She also has debunked the e myth about Marco Polo bringing pasta to Italy from China. He didn't it has been around since the 800 AD. Some like ravioli came with Muslim invasions of Sicily. Another fascinating fact I didn't know is that my family's province of Piedmonte makes pasta that resembles newly minted coins. This was really interesting and interesting to see the models for them.

The other article is just s light hearted look at cakes done wrong. Written by David Hochman it tells of Jen Yates, the creator of the blog Cake wrecks and show some of the worst decorated bakery cakes on earth. This is a blog I have to visit just to see what other goofs and gaffes bakers have done to birthday and other sorts of celebratory cakes. The book is a great gift for any cake baker or lover.


Think of the Encyclopedia of Pasta and Cake Wrecks when you go Christmas shopping this year They are the perfect additions to any true blue foodie's library.One is an intelligent and fun look at pasta through the ages while one is just a fun look ats cake decorating gone amok.