The fettuccine alfredo we currently have and commonly know has not always been as it is now. Serving fettuccine with butter and cheese was first in a 15-century recipe for “Roman pasta”. Mentioned by an Italian cook active in Rome. The recipe said to cook the pasta in water or broth and add butter, “good cheese”, and “sweet spices”. The recipe never said what type of cheese or specific spices. Modern Rome fettuccine alfredo was made in Rome by Alfredo Di Lelio, once brought to different locations the taste changed to make it more popular. Alfredo worked in a restaurant run by his mother, and he invented “fettuccine al triplo burro”, later named “fettuccine all’Alfredo” or “fettuccine Alfredo”.
The whole reason fettuccine alfredo was made was to try to find something that seemed appealing for his wife to eat, this was after she had given birth to their first child Armando in 1908. The way that Alfredo tried to make food seem more appealing to his wife was by adding butter and fresh Parmesan. Alfredo’s wife, Ines, was very weak after having their child and Alfredo wanted her to eat so she would regain strength. She ended up quite liking the dish and suggested he add it to the menu of their small restaurant. Part of his success was brought by Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford, two famous actors. They were on their honeymoon in Rome when they tried some of Alfredo’s delicious and original dishes. After they tried it they made and gifted him two gold tableware as a tribute to his friendly and warm welcome. The gift was a fork and spoon made of solid gold engraved to say “To Alfredo the King of the noodles”.
Fettuccine alfredo is not served in Italy with the exception of two restaurants. The name “Alfredo sauce” is barely if at all used in Italy, though there are similar pasta sauces. The two restaurants that still have the original taste are “Alfredo alla Scrofa” and “Il vero Alfredo” (the real Alfredo). The restaurant “Il vero Alfredo” is owned by the family, it was owned by Alfredo, then his son Armando (until 1982), now owned by Armando’s son Alfredo III and his sister Ines De Lenlio. This restaurant is popular for North American tourists who want to taste the original alfredo recipe.
I quite enjoy fettuccine alfredo with some chicken. This is one thing I order at some restaurants. I found it quite interesting how the real fettuccine alfredo is nothing like what is known now by Americans, this is an example of something that was americanized. How it was americanized is that it is a lot more creamy in America and made with different ingredients (in order to make it creamy). Another example of this would be pizza, the pizza served in Italy is nothing like the pizza that many Americans know and love. Even if it was americanized, these two are still a couple of my favorite dishes.
Questions -
Do you think that dishes like fettuccine alfredo and pizza should have been americanized the way they were or should they have stayed the same?
Do you think that if the dish hadn’t changed it would be as popular as it is now?
Are there any dishes that don’t change from place to place like how fettuccine alfredo changed from Italy to America?
Links -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fettuccine_Alfredo
https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2012/02/italian-myths.html
Replies
I don't think that these dishes need to be changed. I think that they are much more popular now because of the changes they have had. It would probably still be a well-known dish even if there had been no changes. There's always something different about foods in different restaurants. I would say most of the time though many of the dishes are somewhat the same wherever you go.
I do not think that it would be well known at all if it had never been changed. If it had never been changed then Americans would never eat it and it would not at all be popular in America and America I think played a bigger part in it's popularity. Also I do agree that there is always something different depending on where you get food from but I think this has a very large difference.
I think they should just stay how they are. Because Americans change the way they make it and eat it so just because it comes from a different country doesnt mean you have to make it exactly how they do. Thats just like hamburgers are known as an american food but many other countrys eat them too and make them different. I dont think it would be as famous as it is now if they didnt change it.
I agree that it would not be near as popular if it was never changed. But if it stays the way it is then it would not be made in America and it would not be sold anywhere else because the place in Rome it is sold is most sold because of tourists so if it is not popular than tourists would have no reason to go there just for that food. I think it should be able to be changed but I think that people need to not say that it is Italian because it is nothing like the Italian version.
I think that this type of dishes should stay the same because that way they maintain their original flavor and appearance. I don't know how popular the dish would have turn out to be if it hadn't been changed but I think people would have get used to the original taste. I think the majority of dishes change but if you go to an authentic restaurant you might find it very similar to the original one.
If it stayed the same then it would not be popular and wouldn't be sold or made in America. I think that the original taste from what I've read is different and would not please Americans. I think that it would be a shock to many people how different the orriginal actually is.
I think it is fine the way they were "americanized", otherwise I don't think it would still grow much attention and become as popular if it wasn't used as much as it is in America. I don't think the dish would be as popular in America if it wasn't changed. With that being said, Rome and other European contries I'm sure would still enjoy eating this dish.
But if everything is changed once in America then Americans don't know what the original is and it is possiable that not everyone even knows that it is different. People in Rome don't normally eat this dish at all so I do not think that they would like the American version of it if they don't even eat the original. If they ate and really liked the original then there would be more restaurants that would have it.
I think it could be less popular if it wasn't so americanized because it just wouldn't be a well known dish. I think like a lot of things that get americanized pizza and alfredo are interesting and delicious dishes even if the culture has been adopted by so many americans. Cultures and dishes are constantly changing so who knows what could have been of either of them.
I think that even though pizza and alfredo were americanized they are delicious but I do not know if I would really enjoy the original dishes because it would be so different from what we are used to in America. But it was very interesting for me at least how there is dishes that we see and think of one place but it is so different.
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