Pasta Mania

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

These are quite dull little books. No illustrations relieve the tedium
of a no-nonsense layout. There’s no editorial excitement in the text
(and almost no text), no index, no metric measures, and no nutritional
analysis. The bindings are not user-friendly. Yet the publisher’s
blurb indicates the series is a best-seller. Could it be the deadpan
methods, devoid of any signs of human intervention? Could it be the
healthy cup of cream that’s called for in so many of the recipes? Or
the ingredients fresh out of a can or package?

If the books have appeal, it probably comes from the collector’s
instinct. Each offers 75 recipes on the same subject. The terms
“endurance” and “marathon” come to mind. While two plastic ducks
are two plastic ducks, 75 plastic ducks constitute a collection, worthy
of display and admiration.

For those who want to collect pasta or soup recipes, these are the
books to buy.