Noodles

As soon as our ancestors understood how to mill grains or legumes, it was only a small step to process the resulting flour into strands or bite-size pieces of dough or paste and boil those in water. Noodles, starting off so humbly, have evolved into one of the most popular foods worldwide. Found in many cultures, they are the perfect vehicle for almost any accompaniment. Tossed in simple or complex sauces, swimming in an aromatic broth with morsels of meat and vegetables, or served cold as a salad, noodles possess a unique versatility that can be enhanced by a number of accompaniments. Though their origins are debated, most research suggests that noodle making was first refined to an art in China, where it evolved into the ultimate street food. In other regions, noodles were created much later. Contrary to popular belief, however, noodle making was well established in Italy and the Eastern Mediterranean long before Marco Polo’s journeys.