Cultural History
Task 1 12.02.2013
Object that I identify with:
Pasta
Websites looked at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasta
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-2wXR8PX1o
Context
Pasta has been part of my life from the very beginning. Where I grew up in rural South Australia we could only purchase spaghetti and Leggo's tomato paste at the local supermarket in the 60’s and 70’s. My mother would make home-made pasta, i.e., fettuccini and tortellini.
Meaning
Pasta was a first course in my family of origin. Tortellini were eaten in a chicken broth with parmesan cheese. Pasta was cooked ‘al dente’ and usually eaten with a beef ragu'. It was a staple in our diet. Pasta was part of every meal, either risoni in a soup, spaghetti with ragu' or tortellini - unless we were having risotto.
Enjoying pasta with family and friends is also something that happened all the time as dried spaghetti with a tomato based sauce is so easy to prepare and the ingredients readily available for an impromptu meal.
For me the idea of pasta also symbolises getting together with people.
Histories
According to Wikipedia pasta dates back to the 1st Century BC in the writing of Horace. "Lagana", was fine sheets of white dough that were fried. Palestine had a version of pasta in the 3rd and 4th Centuries AD. An Arab physician in the 9th Century AD describes ittrya as string like shapes made of semolina and dried before cooking. There is also the legend of Marco Polo importing pasta from China. In the 14th and 15th Centuries AD pasta became popular because of its easy storage. Tomato Sauce was only invented in the 18th Century AD and because of the liquid content required the use of a fork. Prior to this pasta was eaten with fingers only.
Today you can readily buy varieties of dry pasta or fresh pasta made with egg.
Ideology
Pasta is a hearty meal and with the simplest of ingredients for example garlic, olive oil and parmesan cheese can provide an impromptu meal when guests arrive and you have hardly anything in your pantry. It is usually served from a huge pot or platter so that you can have as much as you want and can go back for a second helping.
Quality ingredients are the best but you can make do with tinned tomatoes, garlic, dried basil or oregano and olive oil.
Cooking the pasta 'al dente' is crucial.
Other
Heinz tinned spaghetti
Websites looked at:
“As Italian as a tin of Heinz spaghetti” http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/ShowUserReviews-g194863-d1060573-r129375302-La_Tagliata-Positano_Amalfi_Coast_Campania.html (I chose this as my title as I feel that it describes my feelings re my Other)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaghettiOs
http://www.heinz.com.au/Corporate/CompanyHistory.aspx
Context
Heinz spaghetti is a concept that is the “other” for me. Soft, squishy, in a tomato sauce that isn’t unpleasant but then served on a piece of toast - double carbs. I have eaten it and have enjoyed it. There are also SpaghettiO's, Alphaghetti, Oops and other variations.
Meaning
Wikipedia describes SpaghettiO's as being marketed as “less messy than spaghetti” to parents”. They were marketed as a quick and easy way to feed children.
History
It is thought that Heinz good were first imported in 1880 with the arrival of American miners in the gold fields. Heinz first canned goods produced in Australia were baked beans in tomato sauce in 1935. This was quickly followed by canned spaghetti and a range of soups.
By 1942 WWII dominated Australian industry and tin plate shortages forced Heinz to stop supplying canned products to domestic consumers, and later all production was restricted. The company did, however, get tin plate to make products for the armed services such as tomato juice, Irish stew, beans, spaghetti, soups, potatoes, carrots and onions. In 1942 Heinz Australia supplied almost 12 million cans to the armed services.
Ideology
It’s represents a MacDonald's mind set to me. That is, an American company convincing us that children will make less mess eating tinned spaghetti, alphaghetti, Oops or Spaghetti ‘Os. The ideology is that it is quick, nutritious and is appealing to children. Heinz is a household name in Australia today.
children eating spaghetti
child eating alphaghetti
The characteristics that Pasta and Heinz spaghetti share is that they are easily stored and can be left in your pantry for quite some time. Both are also easy to prepare. Tinned spaghetti requires merely a can opener and a microwave. Dry spaghetti only needs to be boiled and a sauce added. Both are fast to prepare.
Where they differ for me is in my cultural upbringing and that pasta needs to be 'al dente'. Dried pasta eaten with a home-made tomato sauce for me is considered as making a meal from scratch using quality ingredients.
Eating Heinz tinned spaghetti is akin to eating processed food to me. If I have guests at home I would readily cook them pasta but would not consider preparing Heinz tinned spaghetti for them.
