Noodle Cartel

The New York Times has an article today about the rising cost of a bowl of noodles in Western China. Apparently to purchase a bowl of noodles you now have a 4 cent hike in the price. Some are blaming the rising price on a noodle cartel.

Fortunately I was able to enjoy the noodles of China before the threat of the noodle cartel. I can attest-- They make some fine noodles. In Washington DC, I worked two blocks away from Chinatown (China block). And my friend Mona and I would always go to Chinatown Express. The front window of this place has is a living breathing advertisement to wett any passerbyers' appetite -a chinese man making the homemade noodles tossing the dough and manhandeling it. (see photo above that's the real guy!) They also have florecscent orange ducks hanging in the window and other hanging dead things. I always got their fresh noodle beef soup. Noodles hit the spot on a cold or even a warm day.

With noodles on my mind, I decided to once again make a noodle dish last night, though not of the Asia variety, but of an Italian bent. For some reason I have been on a noodle kick... perhaps there is a noodle revolution going on in my head. Or perhaps I am trying to get my fill of noodles before the noddle cartel makes its way to the western hemisphere.

Last night I made linguine with a saute of onion, garlic, asparagus, chicken/apple/ gouda sausage, potobello mushrooms and swiss chard. Indeed a strange combination, and at one time when everything was mounded in the pan I thought, "how is this going to turn into a pasta sauce?". But some how after everything reduced down it turned into a nice pasta sauce with tons of flavor. In the end, I added a very light wine and cream sauce.

Aside from the charred (burnt) burshetta I attmepted to make (which set off the smoke alarm), the meal was great rounded off with a glass of Ruffino Orvieto Classico white wine.

Noodle lovers unite against the Noodle Cartel!