Separating the Wheat from the Chaff

A Little Story About Why We Only Use the Best Semolina at Mangia Mangia

Hello Pasta in Paradise Pals,

Come, sit down. Grab yourself a cup of warm coffee or maybe a nice glass of Chianti—depending on what kind of day you’ve had–and let Mamma (as my daughter would call/write notes to me when she was younger and today at Yoga I was recognized as Mamma Mangia–and I like that!) tell you a little something about wheat, wisdom, and why your pasta at Mangia Mangia tastes like a warm hug. 

You see, there’s an old saying: “Separating the wheat from the chaff.” It means sorting the good from the not-so-good. The useful from the useless. The real-deal from the riffraff. It’s what farmers did way back when tossing harvested wheat into the air so the light, flaky chaff would blow away and the hearty, golden kernels would fall back down–pure and perfect. Kind of like choosing your friends, your flour and your fashion choices from the early 2000s. (Yes, Brenda -which is my mother’s name-I’m looking at those low-rise jeans.)

At Mangia Mangia, we take that saying seriously-especially when it comes to our flour. That’s why we use Gold Medal Semolina Wheat Flour No.1 with no GMO’s. Not so “Gold-ish,” not “bronze participation trophy flour”-the Gold Medal stuff. Why! Because you and your tastebuds deserve nothing less. 

Now let me tell you about semolina-that beautiful, sun-kissed flour made from durum wheat, the hardest of all the wheats(we love a tough grain with a tender heart). Semolina has a lovely golden color, a slightly nutty flavor, and just the right amount of bite. It’s the flour that says, “I’m not just pasta-I’m an experience.” 

Semolina holds its shape, gives pasta that signature al dente chew, and brings nutrition to the party–rich in protein, iron, and fiber. It’s basically the flour version of that one aunt who runs marathons, volunteers at the soup kitchen, and still brings lasagna to Sunday dinner.

And let’s talk about taste, my paradise pasta pals, our homemade pastas-fettuccine, pappardelle, and more homemade with love–are hearty, nutritious, and delicious, thanks to the golden treasure of the flour. You can taste the difference. It’s pasta that sticks to your soul, not just your ribs. You feel nourished in your soul, satiated and complete. 

So next time you twirl that forkful of spaghetti or spoon full of steaming bowl of raviolis, just remember: we have separated the wheat from the chaff so you don’t have to. You just get the good stuff–made from scratch, made with love, made with our very high standards. 

Mangia, Mangia! Eat, Eat! Life’s too short for bad flour. 

With Lots of Love, 

Mamma Mangia AKA Heather Sunny Weather