National Fettuccine Alfredo Day
About National Fettuccine Alfredo Day
When is National Fettuccine Alfredo Day? This holiday is always celebrated on February 7
Today is a great food holiday that we can all enjoy. It is National Fettuccine Alfredo Day, a February 7 holiday. Fettuccine Alfredo is a delicious, yet simple-to-make Italian pasta meal. And, it is inexpensive, helping you to stretch your food budget. Whether you are staying home for dinner tonight, or going out to a restaurant, choose Fettuccine Alfredo. Oh, and don’t forget the salad and garlic bread. They pair perfectly with this meal.
Traditional Fettuccine Alfredo has only four ingredients. They are Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, butter, fettuccini, and salt. Note, if you are on a low-salt diet, eliminate all or most of the salt in the menu. Then, add some Italian seasonings to enhance the flavor. And, there is nothing wrong with adding a few other herbs, meats, or other ingredients to the basic recipe. As long as you use fettuccine noodles and alfredo sauce, you are properly celebrating this holiday.
Did You Know? In Italy, Fettuccine Alfredo is served as an appetizer. In the United States, it is a main course item.
About Fettuccine Noodles
In the 14th Century during the Renaissance, Fettuccine noodles were first created in Florence, Italy. It took another 1,500 years before the noodles were paired with Alfredo sauce into a delicious meal. Depending upon who you ask, there are as few as 50 or so types of pasta. Or, there are as many as 300 – 350 types. This includes a wide variety of shapes, colors, and ingredients. Fettuccine is a wide, flat noodle. It allows Alfredo sauce and other sauces to cling to it. The name means “small ribbons”. You don’t need a pasta machine to make it. Just roll out pasta dough into a sheet. Then, cut ribbons of fettuccine by hand.
Fettuccine is often compared to linguine, which is a very similar pasta. Both are a wider pasta noodle. Fettuccine is a little wider than Linguine. And, it is flat. Linguine is a flat noodle that is slightly rounded at the edges.
While the basic recipe calls for fettuccine pasta, you can use any other pasta. However, to stay true to the spirit of this holiday, you must have fettuccine noodles today. From a health perspective, there are gluten-free and carb-free (or low-carb) varieties. That means you can enjoy a great meal while following any dietary restrictions that you have.
The Invention of Fettuccini Alfredo
In 1908, Fettuccine Alfredo was invented in Rome, Italy. Alfredo DiLelio created it in his restaurant and gave it his first name. DiLelio was trying to find a good-tasting meal for his pregnant wife who had lost her appetite. After eating the Fettuccine Alfredo, his wife’s appetite returned. She delivered a healthy baby boy a few weeks later on January 26, 1908. They named him Armando. DiLelio then added this meal to his restaurant’s menu.
Then, in 1927 Hollywood silent movie stars Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford were on their honeymoon in Rome. By chance, they ate at Alfredo DiLelio’s restaurant and ordered the Fettuccine Alfredo. They loved it. So, the newlywed couple brought the recipe back with them to America. And, the rest is history.
Open a jar of Alfredo sauce in America today, and you will find it is a somewhat different recipe. Today’s Alfredo sauce has cream in it. Garlic is another common ingredient added to the American version of Alfredo sauce.
Note: Online, there is some disagreement as to whether Fettuccine Alfredo was invented in 1908 or 1914. During our research, we read a letter from the grandson of Alfredo di Lelio who states the date as 1908.
How to Celebrate National Fettuccine Alfredo Day
Food holidays are always delicious holidays that everyone enjoys celebrating. Here are ways you can enjoy National Fettuccine Alfredo Day:
- Make Fettuccine Alfredo for dinner tonight. Don’t forget the warm loaf of Italian garlic bread.
- Make a really big batch and invite family or friends over to enjoy it with you.
- Make the original Alfredo sauce yourself. It is easy to make.
- Go to an Italian restaurant and order it.
- Add some ingredients. Chicken and shrimp are two excellent choices.
Note: This meal pairs well with either red or white wine.
Today's Quote
“Pasta doesn’t make you fat. How much pasta you eat makes you fat.” – – Giada De Laurentis
History and Origin of National Fettuccine Alfredo Day
Our research has not identified who created this holiday. Nor, have we identified why it was created. Like other food holidays, it was probably created by someone who likes this popular and inexpensive Italian pasta dish.
The earliest reference to this holiday we found was in a newspaper published in 2005. The article referred to holidays in February. This holiday was very likely created sometime before 2005. But, we have not yet traced it back any further. However, our search for additional information continues.
This holiday is called a National” day. However, we found no documentation in congressional records to confirm that this is truly a national day. Nor, did we find a presidential proclamation.
Definition of “National” Days – and why it is important to distinguish true National days.
Related Holidays and Articles
More February 7 Holidays
Here are more February 7 holidays to celebrate and enjoy:
Send a Card to a Friend Day – Obviously, this day was created by a card company.
More About Today
What happened on this Day? This Day in History
Flower of the Day: Ageratum
Recipe of the Day: Oatmeal Cookies
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Did You Know? There are literally thousands of daily holidays, special events, and observances, more than one for every day of the year. and many of these holidays are new. People and organizations are creating new holidays regularly. February holidays are no exception. Consequently, at Holiday Insights, we take great efforts to thoroughly research and document the details of each one, as completely and accurately as possible.