Back in March, I listened to a Planet Money podcast about The Sporkful’s Dan Pashman’s journey to create a brand new pasta shape.
Being someone who celebrates, reveres, and adores anyone in the business of making stuff, I loved Pashman’s story of inspiration, perspiration, and realization of a longtime dream.
The result:
Cascatelli, manufactured by pasta maker Sfoglini. Named after the Italian word for “waterfall.”
Pashman demanded three things from his new pasta shape while he was designing it:
- Sauceability: How readily sauce adheres to the shape
- Forkability: How easy it is to get the shape on your fork and keep it there
- Toothsinkability: How satisfying it is to sink your teeth into it
I preordered five pounds of his pasta as soon as I finished listening to the podcast. I mentioned this to a friend who rolled his eyes and asked why I would spend more than $25 on five pounds of never-before-seen pasta.
My response:
“How could I not?”
A brand new pasta shape, never before seen on the planet, had been invented by a podcast host and food lover. His journey to creation was long, arduous, and inspiring.
Dan Pashman had made something.
He had made something that I never even realized could be made.
How could I not join him on his journey and support his endeavor?
The pasta arrived last week. We immediately opened the box, and Elysha substituted cascatelli for the pasta provided in our Hello Fresh meal.
Not only was it delicious (I love its toothsinkability) but Charlie managed to have some fun with it, too.
When was the last time you had a pasta dish that you will never forget eating?
It’s not easy to make stuff.
It’s even harder to make stuff when the making involves monetary investment, manufacturing, and distribution.
Whenever I have the opportunity to celebrate and support someone who is making something new, I happily, gladly, and excitedly will. Making stuff is hard and important and glorious. It also doesn’t happen every day. We must keep our eyes open for these moments of inspiration and creation and do all that we can do to ensure they happen again and again.
Order yourself a bag of cascatelli. You won’t regret it.
