Pastina Is in the Past
Plus, Noma is closing its doors, and the movie 'The Menu' is being blamed
Ronzoni has announced it’s discontinuing pastina, the tiny star-shaped pasta that many Italian-Americans call Italian penicillin. Now, that’s not to say that you’ll never be able to cook a bowl of pastina — typically used in soups and for babies — because other companies produce it, but Ronzoni is the brand found in many households. Writer Celia Mattison describes growing up with the pasta for Bon Appetit. Fans of the pasta can sign a Change.org petition to have Ronzoni continue making the beloved item.
Noma Is Closing its Doors
Noma, the Copenhagen restaurant consistently rated as one of the best — if not the best— restaurants in the world, is closing (sort of). The three-Michelin starred restaurant will close at the end of 2024, reopening as a “giant lab” called Noma 3.0. The terms and future of chef René Redzepi's restaurant are vague, but the restaurant will still host pop-ups both around the world at at its home city.
Is The Menu to Blame for the end of Noma?
In a bizarre twist of life-imitating-art-imitating-life, people on social media are blaming The Menu for the decision to close Noma. The movie is a terrifically scathing black comedy that utterly eviscerates the pretentious side of the culinary industry and is a must-see for anyone who has ever preferred a burger to a $1,200 tasting menu.
Wisconsin Factory Fire Has Firefighters up to Their Knees in Butter
Wisconsin, deep in the country’s heartland, is dairy country. The state is known for its cheese and dairy farms. When a fire broke out at Associated Milk Producers Inc (AMPI) plant Portage, Wisconsin, responding firefighters had more to deal with than the blaze — the fire caused the butter stored at the facility to melt, running down the floors and thwarting the firefighters attempts. Luckily, the fire was put out and no one was harmed.