Maybe this will settle once and for all the debate about who invented noodles. Earlier this year when archaeologists in China turned over a 4000 year-old bowl, this is what they found underneath:
Photograph © Chinese Academy of Sciences
Noodles. 4000-year-old noodles. Beautifully preserved, thin, delicate, 20-inch-long yellow noodles.
This discovery predates by at least 2000 years any other evidence or mention of noodles in human history, according to Houyuan Lu of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, who was part of the team that made the discovery. They are also the oldest prepared food ever found intact.
Notably, the noodles are made, not of wheat, but from millet, a grain that has been cultivated in China for 7000 years, and is still a mainstay of the diet in many arid regions today.
This discovery offers conclusive evidence that the Chinese were making noodles long before Marco Polo arrived. Although the legend that Marco Polo "discovered" pasta and brought it back to Europe has been largely discredited, Italians are responsible for popularizing the consumption of noodles in Europe and much of the world.
Links to the story in The Guardian and National Geographic.
In the interest of further culinary inquiry, I am heading off to Italy to do some noodle research of my own. That’s right, I will be taking crazysalad on the road as I spend 10 days in Italy and France. First stop: Reggio’Emilia, home of the world best cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano. Then on to Paris where I’ll try to make it to every chocolate shop on David Lebovitz’s list. I will have Internet access, so when I’m not eating, I’ll be taking photos and posting them here.
Ciao a presto--
Aloha Angie,
Thank you for your comments on the blog, I am so glad to have found yours! Sunny San Diego, I know that I must have several friends and family living there.
Your photos are simply stunning! And I enjoyed reading the previous posts too. When I saw the mooncake, I just about wanted to sob because it reminds me of home in the islands and how long it's been since I've tasted a decent mooncake.
As for your comment about "my heart (and stomach) is still in Italy"... I'd feel the same way too if we ever moved away. Surely more so for my husband!
Posted by: rowena | October 14, 2005 at 12:09 AM
Rowena:
Thanks for stopping by. Check out Kirk's blog (mmm-yoso!!!). He's isn't Filipino, but he's from Hawaii, too, and lately has been visiting lots of Filipino markets and restaurants here in San Diego.
You couldn't find any mooncakes it Italy? I'm surprised because there are so many Chinese immigrants living in Italy now. Of course, that hasn't resulted in many decent Chinese restaurants there, so maybe it will take some time.
By the way, I had to laugh when I saw the photos of your pantry with the green curry paste next to the spaghetti and tomatoes--I have the same things side by side on my shelf!
Posted by: Angie | October 14, 2005 at 06:53 AM
Hi Angie - Thanks for the plug. BTW, when I first read this on Yahoo, I really cracked up; you see for years I've been kidding my Italian Food loving friends, telling them that in essense they've been eating "modified Chinese Food". And that noodles originated in China, and that old tomato sauce came from China story. Guess how much fun I'm having now! Have a great trip, I'm looking forward to the great stories and photo's!
Posted by: Kirk | October 14, 2005 at 07:15 AM
Kirk--
The LA Times story had quotes from Ming Tsai and Martin Yan saying how proud they were. But I can't imagine the Italians taking this lying down. I bet someday they will "discover" some Etruscan pasta which predates this Chinese find.
Posted by: Angie | October 14, 2005 at 08:24 PM