Macaroni Day

Today is a special day for pasta lovers. The first written reference to pasta was in 1154 in Sicily. In 1884, the first American pasta factory opened in Brooklyn, New York, It was managed by a Frenchman who used a horse to power the machinery.

Macaroni comes in many shapes and sizes that typically do not contain eggs. The most common type of macaroni is the elbow shaped noodle, thanks to the famous macaroni and cheese dish.

The American idea of macaroni in an elbow shape is only one of the types of macaroni pasta. The name comes from the type of pasta dough. It generally is egg free and has a hollow shape. The name macaroni comes from the Italian “maccheroni” but is more commonly referred to as rigatoni. There are over 600 different varieties of pasta.

July 7th is National Macaroni Day, as if we needed another excuse to cook up some of our favorite pasta.

When you hear the word "macaroni," your first thought might be "...and cheese." However, this versatile pasta enlivens a tremendous number of dishes, from cold salads, to hot casseroles and even soups.

There is a worldwide group of people who eat and discuss pasta. This is the National Pasta Association (NPA). NPA is a trade association of professionals in the United States pasta industry. The NPA originally formed as The National Association of Macaroni and Noodle Manufacturers of America in 1904, making it one of the oldest trade associations in the United States.

Celebrate National Macaroni Day on July 7th!