The Origin of National Spaghetti Day

                                      By: Shawn Ward 

National Spaghetti Day was introduced into the United States through the travels of Thomas Jefferson, who brought it back from Naples, Italy in 1789. For those who don’t know who Thomas Jefferson is, he is one of the authors of the Declaration of Independence and the third U.S. president. Spaghetti was also brought over to the U.S. by Italian immigrants, where its popularity quickly spread. Spaghetti in Italian means thin string or twine. The chilly weather nights can make eating spaghetti the most comforting food over any other meal by far. It is a much-loved meal for all ages across the world, and a staple in Italian cuisine. As Italians immigrated to the US, they introduced their Italian dishes. Just as other immigrants shared their homelands cuisine, for example Germans shared sauerkraut and Irish shared Shepards pie. Spaghetti was served to American diners in the early 19th century. The earlier version did not include Basil or Oregano in it, but today most of the spaghetti dishes include them. There is evidence of this dish that goes back many years. Jerusalem’s Talmud records the common consumption of boiled dough among Palestinians during AD 3 and 4. National Spaghetti Day is on January 4^th, and offers an opportunity to pick ones favorite sauce and add it to that long, thin cylindrical pasta of Italian and Sicilian origin. Usually made from semolina flour, this pasta has been a worldwide favorite for ages and loved by millions. However, there are some who question the Italians being the creators of spaghetti. Some, however, are convinced Marco Polo brought it back from his epic voyage to China. In Italy, pasta was made from hard wheat and shaped into long strands. Which brings this ancient food much closer to modern-day spaghetti.