The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-12-10
Macaroni.

Macarolli, II neal IN itself the bread
and nant OF the Italian peasant. 1T Is
not certainly known in what land or by
Whay people this paste was first made.
But it is believed that the Germans OBJ
tanned their knowledge of the method
of its manufacture from the Chinese,
and from the Germans the Italians
learned the secret, and found the ra.
narkable preparation so much to their
taste they have come to consider 1t
their one Indispensable food We are
told that the appellation it bears. an
italicized Greek name. implies happi-
ness. Practically the name "Macche-
roni,' is derived from "Maccare." TO
crush.
The three principal varieties are
known as lnacaroni--larga cylinders:
spaghetti, the smaller tube; and vermi-
celli, the Very fine. corcl-liii. variety
When the paste is made into fancy
shapes. il is called pasta d'Italia and
these pastes, large and small, are pro-
duced in great quantities. The tubular
pastes denote the Italian o: sir of this
class. The ntroduc,ion OF macaroni
az common food IN America did not
meet with remarkable success until X
has quite recently been discovered that
the United Stptes grows Il wheat quite
as rci in the element, i. e.. gluten.
needed for making superior grades of
lnaca.oni, as can hc produced from the
famed Italian varieties of the grain.
rl4th to tell. fer ycars before the fact
became known. this country manufac-
,ur"l a very considerable amount Of
1narnrani for the ltalian markets as
we'll as tor home trade None but the
cunmcncr varieties OF these found
thoi, way into the average American
Eolsehcld. a.d unfortunately for the
nome p,odGCf, was tuo oflan rendered
Hnpalatabr and useless by Indifferent
cooking.
owing ia an existing prejudice for
suppressed foreign goods, few OF The
American pastes were allowed to be
sold aH such, bui >portej brilliant ana
fAr"iiui labels of supposedly Italian
and French origin This was not IA
caHre for regret when the labels COW
orcd infer or goods hut TOO frequently
III" poorer grades We're branded purely
American and pu. up for home market
only. th" finest being sent over to Eu-
rope in exchange for still interior va
''''H VNuS' ihuiE lIluS
the careless, good natured, unusupect-
in% American getting not only Il poor,
NIlueless product from both sources
but in most Of the imported kinds,
ndulterated and unclean goods. Many
of the Italian macaroni are, during the
drying process when the greatest care
should he observed to avoid such dan
ger, exposed to dust and odors of ev-
cry kind, and as they are not always
made IN the best parts of the cities and
under the best sanitary conditions, one
can readily see that they might be
made agents to carry disease over an
immense territory.
The quality of flour selected for max
ing the best mlcaron is of the same
sort as used tor making the best bread,
and from wheat grain rich in gluten.
From this high grade -four Is eliminat-
ed a greater part of the starch, and for
this reason ii must be higher in price.
Good maoaroni cannot be successfully
made from a starchy hour because
when poor in gluten, it breaks easily
when cooking, or else becomes a 'pasty
and cohesive mass presenting al unat-
fractiUs