WELCOME TO A WORLD OF PASTA-BILITIES
ITALY MEETS IRELAND IN A HOSTEL BASEMENT

STUDENTS SLURPED HAPPILY ON NOODLES AND SALAD on Thursday evening as the normally quiet hostel canteen was transformed into an Italian trattoria. Students and faculty alike were transported via tomato sauce into the back streets of southern Italy thanks to the tireless culinary efforts of noted gourmand Dr John Caputo and a small team of eager student helpers.

Caputo, who hosts a radio program on Italian cooking back in the United States, drew on his decades of Italian cooking experience to provide the hungry students with a healthy dinner and a break from the ordinary fish and chips or instant noodles.

The scholarly chef was seen in the late afternoon in Sainsbury's car park pushing around a cart filled with six kilos of noodles, six large jars of tomato sauce, six heads of lettuce, four crusty baguettes, a number of chicken parts, and a bottle of chianti. Back at the hostel, he recruited a number of food-minded students to assist him in the steamy hostel kitchen.

Before long, the small confines of the room were filled with the delicious aroma of simmering garlic. Lips were licked with anticipation.

"The smell is the best part!" Loyola student Juanita Dudhnath told me, mopping her brow after her onion-chopping, pasta-boiling, and bread-slicing.

"I was the lettuce-shredder, cheese-grater, garlic-peeler, and olive eater," Gonzaga University student Megan McGovern said with a smile. What was the best part for her? "It's a toss-up between the olives and the company," she said with a sly smile.

Meanwhile, Bennett College student Jenine Quarles stood watch over a bubbling saucepan of olive oil, garlic, flour, and chicken. "It's hot!" she exclaimed. "You need to watch out-- that grease will burn your butt!"

As the food was served, a line of prospective munchers formed, spooning gobs of salad and ladling piles of pasta onto plates. A fine assortment of international wines appeared, thanks to sommelier and photo professor George Miller, who smiled as he went from table to table "topping off" glasses with French and Chilean vintages.

"It went pretty good," said Dr Caputo at the end of the evening, looking over the remnants of his meal and patting his belly contentedly. "My helpers came through, and we're ready to do it again. I'm even going to type up the recipe and hand it out." Here's to more happy eating.