After residing in Rome and living like a Roman for the last six months, I’ve come to appreciate what the Italians have known for centuries. Pasta is love! There is a reason why Italians are known to live long lives, and I believe pasta is a part of that story. I’m not talking about the watery, bland, overcooked, white noodles most Americans associate with pasta, no this is the real thing. Whole grains, locally grown and milled, thoughtfully processed. Enter Chris Wright and Gina Rubinetti of Pasta Lab.
What started with a love for pasta and pizza, led to the home processing of their own grains on a tabletop mill. Their appreciation for the flavor profile and variety of freshly milled grains, together with the intention of providing high end, restaurant quality pasta to the home cook, led to the launch of Pasta Lab. The truth is, I haven’t tasted pasta of this quality in many restaurants anywhere, Italy or Philadelphia.
The obvious attention to detail in their product and production is clear and evident, from the graphics on their packaging to the product on the plate. The flavor of the Bucatini crafted from Glenn Wheat was delicious, the toasty notes of the whole grains adding an aromatic, nutty dimension, and because the pasta was fresh, it still had that soft, house-made texture, which whole wheat pasta often can’t claim. I’m excited to taste each variety and shape they craft, which varies from week to week.
We are all more aware of the benefits of eating a clean diet and living a healthy lifestyle. Knowing where our food is grown (hopefully not far from home), and how it is processed (hopefully as little as possible), is a good start to implementing these ideals into our daily routines. As a Philly born chef and especially a lover of local produce, I feel fortunate that we have a good selection of urban farmers markets available throughout our city, many year-round.
When I asked Chris to talk to me about his decision to market and sell their pasta exclusively at these farmer’s markets, he perfectly articulated many of my own thoughts and reasons for shopping and supporting them.
“After considering different avenues in which to sell our product (wholesale, retail outlets) we’ve settled on farmer’s markets as an ideal way to connect with our customers. We’ve been shopping at farmer’s markets for years and realize that the products being sold in this setting are often produced or harvested within a day of being sold, and as a result, at their peak in terms of flavor. We feel our pasta compliments the offerings from other vendors in this setting. We source much of our produce from other market vendors.
“We shop at Headhouse often and love the organic produce that Ed Yin brings to market. Our grain is currently sourced from Small Valley Milling in Halifax, PA and Castle Valley Mill in Doylestown. Cheese is coming from Caputo Brothers and Clover Creek Cheese Cellar. Eggs – from Gail’s Farm in Vineland, NJ. Our customers can expect to see a rotating selection of extruded, and hand formed filled pasta at our markets. We will always have one ancient grain pasta available (Emmer, Spelt, Einkorn), and at least one filled option. Fillings vary with the season, and we often change them on a whim. This keeps it interesting for us and our customers. The filled pasta is entirely handmade, and so production is limited. They always sell out first.”
Eat fantastic pasta, support local farmers, producers, and markets, spend quality time in the kitchen, live a long life… feel Italian! Trust me on this. You’ll be happy you did.
Find Pasta Lab at the following farmer’s markets:
Chestnut Hill (outdoor market) – 1st Saturday of each month.
Media – 1st Sunday of each month.
Clark Park – Every Saturday.
Headhouse Square – Every Sunday.
Wrightstown, PA – 2nd & 4th Saturday of each month.
Swarthmore – 3rd Saturday of each month beginning May 18.
Christ Church – Every other Wednesday beginning May 15.
The Fountain on Passyunk – Every other Wednesday beginning May 22.
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