For over 53 years Eden Foods has been encouraging the importance of eating whole grain. Whole grain pasta remains a logical and easy part of that transition. During the 1970s, Eden began working with the Schmidt Noodle Company of Detroit, which was founded in 1923. After learning how to properly mill whole grain flour that made good pasta, Schmidt Noodle began making deliciously smooth whole grain, organic spaghetti. Midwestern natural food stores and co-ops were eager to make new EDEN Pastas available to people. In 1982, at their request, Eden Foods bought that pasta factory. In 1989, the Eden Organic Pasta Company (EOPC) became North America’s first third-party certified organic food processing facility!
Old School Pasta Making
Eden Foods maintains traditional, small batch pasta making using EOPC’s original antique Italian equipment, brass dies, roller-laminated dough, slow inside-out steam and air drying, and traditional know-how. The goal of exclusively using organic flour at EOPC was achieved in 1993. All grain used is from North American organic families, with the exception of high-altitude, Andes Mountain organic quinoa flour.
Dedicated people at the small factory have dutifully carried forward the old school methods by looking after handling and processing techniques that long ago disappeared from commercial pasta making. EOPC is a functioning museum. Visitors to EOPC still consider this pasta handmade, even though antique machines are used. Eden Foods recently completed a thorough refurbishing of this 1923 factory in a manner that should serve its needs for at least another 50 years.
Authentic Organic Grain
Each step in making EDEN Pasta helps to create an al-dente texture and exceptional taste. This begins with careful selection of organic grain. Whole grain flours are milled at Eden Foods, while the semolina and patent durum flours are prepared at a certified organic mill in North Dakota. Organic vegetables such as carrot, annatto, beet, and spinach are added to some pasta for variety in taste, color, and nourishment.
Each batch of pasta begins with kneading flour and water to develop a dough. For pastas like EDEN Spirals, Elbows, Alphabets, Ditalini, Gemelli (twists), Rigatoni (tubes), and Spaghetti, the dough is pressed through vintage brass dies and then cut to length. For EDEN Ribbons or flat noodles the dough is rolled out and folded over onto itself eight times, each time being rolled out again. The laminated sheets are then trimmed and cut to length. After shaping, pastas are steam dried, gradually reducing their moisture, drying them from the inside out. The pastas and flat ribbons are air-dried on screen trays while the long uncut strands of spaghetti are hung on racks to dry before being cut to length. The drying process can take from 27 to 48 hours, depending upon the pasta cut and local weather. The pastas are packaged in recycled and recyclable paperboard boxes. Each one has an Eden tested recipe on the back with a photo of it prepared. Pasta boxes are color-coded to show the percentage of whole grain they contain.
Slow / Fast Food
Convenience was a big factor in pasta becoming so popular world-wide. Delicious taste, easy to store, quick cooking, and people simply enjoyed eating it. Whole grain protein, sustaining complex carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and healthy fiber, make whole grain pasta extremely good for us.
With EDEN Pasta in the pantry, it is a snap to make delicious, satisfying meals in very little time. Simply serve with EDEN Spaghetti Sauce or Pizza Pasta Sauce. For pasta primavera or salad add vegetables, a can of EDEN Beans, a drizzle of EDEN Olive Oil, and seasonings for a fabulous meal that’s ready in minutes.
Ten varieties of EDEN Pasta are 100 percent whole grain. One is a 60 percent whole grain blend, and one is non-whole grain made of organic sifted flour.
The EDEN Pasta Tote makes a thoughtful, rewarding gift with eight organic EDEN foods: three Pastas, Spaghetti Sauce, Pizza Pasta Sauce, Crushed Tomatoes, Cannellini Beans, cold pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and a EDEN Recipe Book.
There is no salted added to EDEN Pasta, no oil, eggs, or untoward additives. EDEN Pasta is authentically organic and Non-GMO verified. For dozens of free pasta recipes and ideas, visit edenfoods.com/recipes. For more EOPC information, contact Eden Foods.
Wisdom is Love in Discerning
Following fifty-three years of transition from a meat and sugar centric diet to becoming accustomed to whole grain and vegetable centered, macrobiotic principled nourishment, the most consequential observation to share from it is the wisdom of eating cooked whole grain. An good initial goal of 25 to 30 percent whole grain in one’s diet is appropriate, unless health issues demand doubling that or more.
As whole grain replaces meat and sugar in your diet (this is not easy), intuition and better judgement come into play and provide conscious and subconscious guidance. The systemic balancing effects of whole grain begins to mend and soothe what is out of harmony and problematic. These same dynamics play out societally as well.
An additional observation is the importance of fermented food, such as miso, sauerkraut, pickles, natto, and shoyu soy sauce. They allow us to much more easily draw nourishment from the vegetable vs. the animal kingdom. Fermented food reduces cravings for dairy and meat during a transition away from dependance upon them.
The need to know more about the food we choose is not a silly sentimental journey. It is essential if we are to remain independently resilient, healthy, and joyful.