When you light the oven, you’ve probably already decided on the dish you want to cook or the basic ingredients you want to use carefully. But do you also know the story behind those dishes and ingredients? We have compiled a number of fun and interesting food facts for you. So that you not only continue to serve the best dishes to your guests, but also talk to them about their history and other fun facts.

1.The Pasta Shape

Do you choose the shape of pasta based on what you always buy, or do you prefer different types for variety? Each pasta shape has its function and the differences are greater than you think. However, always keep in mind that the shape of the pasta is to allow it to absorb the sauce. Hollow types of pasta, such as penne, paccheri or bucatini, are for thick sauces, while flat or thin types of pasta are generally used for thinner sauces. For smooth sauces, a smooth or slightly ribbed type of pasta is best, and for thicker sauces, pasta types with substantial grooves or strongly curved shapes are best.

There are at least 300 different types of pasta with about 600 names. Because it happens that a certain variety has several names. But there is a certain logic. Mostly, they are literal translations. For example, orecchiette means little ears and conchiglie means shells. Rigate means fluted. Penne Rigate are therefore hollow tubes with a fluted shape. If the name of the pasta ends with “-ini” or “-ette”, it is a smaller variant. The types of pasta ending with “-oni” correspond to a large type of pasta.

2.The Hamburger’s Origin

When it comes to hamburgers, there is often a reference to the United States. The thick, round slices of ground beef are a true American barbecue classic, but that’s not where the hamburger originated. Rumor has it that the history of the hamburger begins in the 13th century in the Mongol Empire. There, Mongolian warriors would put pieces of beef under their horse’s saddle to make the meat more tender; the result was raw beef. This is how it is believed that raw beef arrived in Western Europe. Whether this is true remains to be seen…

However, it is certain that it was the German city of Hamburg that came up with the idea of heating this slice of ground meat. German immigrants introduced the hamburger to the United States, where the meat was first sold as a steak, then served with a bun. It was in this form that the hamburger took over the world. The other toppings on the burger can be varied endlessly.

3.The Red Gold

Saffron, made from the pistils of the saffron crocus, is the most expensive spice in the world. That’s why it’s also called red gold. The pistils are the top part of the pin and each crocus has three pistils. For 1 g of saffron, a total of about 150 saffron crocuses are needed, all of which are harvested by hand! This explains the exclusivity of the product. Fortunately, you don’t need a lot of saffron to add the taste, color and aroma of this fantastic spice to a dish, such as a good paella.

4.Pizza

Originally, pizza was mainly a dish for the poor population of Italy. Until the Italian Raffaele Esposito, the most famous pizza maker in Naples, at the end of the 19th century, was invited by the then King of Italy and his wife Margherita to come and cook this specialty at the palace. Especially for this occasion, he created a pizza with red, white and green colors, the same as the Italian flag; with tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil. The queen loved this pizza and so began the pizza success story, with the Margherita pizza, named after the queen, at the forefront. Pizza was no longer just a meal for the less fortunate in the population. From that moment on, almost everyone had taken pizza to heart.

There you are, now you know some interesting facts about food and their origin. Are you in the mood for a delicious pizza? Check out Table 55 in Seaford.