Pasta

I think it is absolutely safe to say that the stereotype or cliché is 100% correct: Italians make the best pasta.  Hands down.  I don't care who you are or if you think your mother or grandmother (unless they hail from Italy) makes great pasta, they probably do... but it's not the best.
Here's what makes me think this:  Back home I don't really eat pasta all that much, really the only time I have pasta is if my mom makes it, or we go to Cafe Graziani... in which case I get Chef Giovanni's Chicken and Broccoli (which if you are reading this and have the chance to get there, should try it or any of his food for that matter!)  Here pasta is such a staple it's not even funny.  Part of this is because it is simple to make, and is extremely inexpensive.  It's not that difficult to boil water and throw in a handful of pasta and create a dish.  Most days I sautee veggies with a little bit of pasta, some days I use pesto others tomato sauce.  If I have run out of veggies I will do a simple olive oil, garlic and peperoncino pasta.  Simple, tasty and fulfilling.  Yesterday I was sitting at the school writing a paper with Audrey, one of the girls in my program, and Franca came into the room and said, "Grace. Audrey.  How about we have pasta with oil and peperoncino for lunch?"  We both replied by saying that we had just eaten a panino but thank you anyway.  Franca responded with, "Ok, but you will have just a little bit.  I will wait to make it until 1:30 more or less that way it will be ok." (it was 12:30)  So Audrey and I didn't have a choice we were going to have a second lunch.  When Franca served us we both remarked at how delicious it was.  I whispered under my breath to Audrey asking if she thought there was butter along with the oil because it had another flavor.  Audrey said that there must be because it was extra tasty.  We asked Franca, and she said that the dish was just pasta, olive oil, peperoncino, and garlic.  That simple! I thought to myself, when I make this it does not taste that good! So I decided (basing my conclusion on Giovanni and Franca) that the best pasta is made by Italians, no ifs ands or buts.