[Chi-townChief]

Actually, I very much enjoy German food and music. The Berghoff Oktoberfest here in Chicago is tremendous. I still like Italian food but it got pretty old having spaghetti twice a week and every holiday plus beans and macaroni (pastafazool, in slang) every Friday for my first 16 years or so.

[Chi-townChief]

Ach du lieber!! I forgot BEER!!! In the words of Drew Carey, "You CANNOT get enough beer!!"

[ffusco]

I agree. I can't eat pasta that frequently either, but keep in mind that tomato sauces and pasta are southern Italian ( as most who imigrated here were poor farmers) Northern Italian cooking has more meats, cream sauces and rice dishes -more like "French" cooking which was introduced to France from Italy by Catherine Di Medici in the 15th century.Even during the Dark Age there were cooking schools in Florence and Venice when most of Northern Europe was eating gruel. And don't forget ice cream! and later from the crusades- Coffee.