Where The Ruffles Meet The Road

In for a penne, in for a pound

The art of perfecting. View this email in your browser Where The Ruffles Meet The Road In the fourth part of Mission: ImPASTAble, my first test batch of pasta rolls off the presses, but problems crop up almost immediately. In order to save my shape, I need to make some big decisions that come with a high price tag. But just as things start coming together, a die redesign goes very wrong. Don't miss the fifth and final episode of the series, which goes up this Thursday, March 18 — especially if you want to buy some pasta! Remember the discussion in last week's episode about different types of dies? Well, the above photo shows the difference a die will make. On the left is mafalde extruded through a teflon die. On the right, mafalde extruded through a bronze die. While the big companies mostly use teflon, the more traditional bronze die imparts a rough texture, like sandpaper, that boosts sauceability. That's why I've decided to make my pasta shape with a bronze die. Want to see more photos and videos from my journey? Follow The Sporkful on Instagram! Listen to this week's Sporkful episode through our website, Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. WHAT WE'RE EATING - I am eating nothing but pasta and thinking only about pasta. - Emma is eating gluten-free gemelli from Charlie's Table. Garganelli, rigatoni, and bucatini (!!) await. - Andres is eating fresh tortillas from Tortilleria La Malinche. - Harry Huggins (who came up with the name Mission: ImPASTAble) is eating sheet pan cumin pork chops, and swears by this recipe. - Casey Holford (an audio engineer on the pasta series) has been making roast chicken, and then using the carcass for some delicious chicken soup.  WHAT WE'RE READING - I'm reading about the MIT Media Lab's 3D-printed pasta shapes. They start flat but change shape in water, so they could be packed in smaller boxes, reducing packaging. It's a cool idea, but I didn't want a 3D-printed pasta because it can't be mass produced at an affordable price, and I'm skeptical that it tastes the same. Also, nobody in their video actually eats any of it! - Emma is reading A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. - Andres is reading about the crime-ridden global market for, apparently, eels. Take care, Dan Copyright © 2021 The Sporkful, All rights reserved. You're receiving this email because you signed up through our website and because you love to eat. Our mailing address is: The Sporkful c/o Midroll 555 8th Avenue, Suite 902 New York, New York 10018 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list