IAP 262: There's No Use Crying Over Spilled Pastina, with Special Guest Michael Fava

Panic has beset the Italian American Community!! Pastina -- the ultimate Italian American comfort food  -- has gone the way of the Dodo!!!  Only… it hasn't! When an Italian American thinks of pastina, especially during these cold winter months, it brings one back to the comforts of childhood, a cozy day in bed, and Nonna's healing touch. But this week, when Ronzoni pasta announced it was discontinuing the production of this beloved shape we affectionately call "Italian penicillin," millions of Italian American voices joined in a terrified uproar. But… spoiler alert… pastina isn't going anywhere, as we sit down with Michael Fava of DeCecco Pasta USA, who helps us dissect what our community calls a "crisis" of epic proportions. We talk about people's emotional attachment to food, what happens when the foods we identify with are suddenly unavailable, and what that means to a person's identity. We also talk about brand affinity, why Ronzoni might be hurting their brand with this sudden decision, and how other brands can jump on the "pastina bandwagon" so they can attract business from Italian Americans seeking to replicate one of their favorite soul foods. We'll discuss how the "Pastina Crisis of 2023" might just be a reaction of social media and what makes pasta shapes and production methods so important to how we use them. And, if you're looking for the best quality pastina we know, check out our very own Rossella Rago's Bottega della Nonna, where you can get her brand for 10% off with the code NEW10! Join us as we stir the soup around the biggest Italian American news story of this young year!