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Music City Pasta
August 20, 2014
Hello friends!
“Music City Pasta” with our Boot and Guitar shaped pasta…this is where it all began! I thought it would be appropriate in my first post to answer the question, “What got y’all into this crazy business?” Well…twenty-ish years ago (hard to believe), my sweet partner and husband John and I left our corporate jobs in NYC to pursue our dream of starting our own business. We were so young back then with nothing to risk. We were both certified “foodies” and both fascinated with all things Italian (after honeymooning in Italy) – so leaving our great jobs and starting a pasta manufacturing business in Nashville, Tennessee made total sense…right?! …Right!!
I grew up in Nashville and really never thought I’d be back…but I am thrilled we made that decision. John has always been a visionary and he knew this was the only place for us to start a manufacturing business AND a family. Nashville is centrally located and a great distribution point. The city was beginning to thrive. Let’s not forget that having my parents around was a bonus when you realize that your “regular check” is not coming! Flash forward – today we are raising 2 boys (16 and 13), an 8-pound dog (Keely, my daughter), and we are still very busy growing and nurturing our first baby, our 21-year-old business, The Pasta Shoppe, and Fun Pasta Fundraising.
So, back to “Why noodles?” and a question we used to hear “Is that macaroni?” We moved back to Nashville with no jobs and no clear idea of what business we’d pursue. What we did have was a passion for adventure and a confidence we’d find our way. (Youth…there IS something to be said for it!) We bought a small SUV, packed our bags, and headed out West on a 72-day journey to explore the National Parks and eat our way to California explore the pasta industry and have fun along the way.
In our past jobs, we traveled quite a bit to the West coast and had watched some “fresh pasta shops” continue to expand and grow. We loved the idea of choosing from a selection of beautiful fresh pasta and a homemade sauce for that night’s meal…and considered opening something similar here in Nashville. But, 21 years ago, Nashville was just beginning to see artisan bread shops opening…and the thought of customers understanding “fresh pasta” seemed farfetched and even too risky for us.
During our trip, we met incredible people who opened their doors to share their business experience with us – restaurateurs, manufacturers, industry experts. But it was seeing a Christmas-tree-shaped pasta that ultimately sparked the vision and passion for our business. If you can shape pasta into a Christmas tree…what else can you do? Or what we’ve come to believe, What can’t we make into a pasta shape? Our first pasta was “Music City Pasta”: boots, hats, and guitars, and our story begins here.
We knew then that “The World is full of Pastabilities®” and have built our business with a vision for creating pasta shapes and products that are as fun to eat as they are to give to friends and family. Now it’s time for us to share the many delicious recipes and ways to use our pasta and to inspire others to cook and enjoy pasta creatively and endlessly!
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You sell pasta, and you sell fun, and we love both! Thanks for sharing your awesome story and creative ideas!
Thanks Alice! Appreciate your sweet comment – please visit us again!
Aww, what a great story! Thanks for sharing. Your husband is truly a visionary and sounds like you are, too; it seems like you make a great team! Thanks for sharing not only recipes but also a bit of an introduction to the creative people behind your pasta, too!
Thanks Jenny! I appreciate the kind words – we love what we do and are excited about this next blog adventure! Please keep in touch!
Hi – I tried the BLT pasta salad yesterday – it’s terrific! My husband directs a band here in Helena, MT and every year we have several pot luck dinners for friends and family. The BLT with the music shaped pasta will definitely be my next contribution! Such a great idea!
AWESOME!! I’m so happy that you liked it! I’m making it next weekend for a hockey party for one of my boy’s teams. And how fun to use the Music Pasta!! Love it!
We have had great fun over the past few years with your different themed pastas. We love to send our college student and her friends the Florida State Seminoles kits. They are perfect for game day parties.
Go Noles!!
Thanks Leslie! Appreciate your buying and sharing our pasta!
I love your story. It show anything is pastable! I have never seen this before, but it would mae cooking with pasta oh so much fun!
Thanks Lynn…we have fun and I love your use of words!
Love your pasta. The whole wheat angel hair is our favorite. Can’t wait for more from next fundraiser starting next week. Good luck with website.
Thanks Kristin! Appreciate the comment – and stay tuned for more recipes including more with whole wheat! I love that too…
y’alls pasta sounds good!!!!!
The pasta shapes are always a great touch to our family parties.
Glad to hear that…us too! 🙂
I love your pasta shapes and this recipe looks delicious! I want to try it.
Please do!
Pasta-bilities! I LOVE it!
Why thank you!
What a cute idea! It looks absolutely delicious!
Thank you Melissa!
The veggie patch pasta salad looks quite yummy! Will there be a recipe for the music city pasta salad? It looks really good too – very colorful 🙂 I love all the unexpected pasta shapes – very clever.
The Music City Pasta is actually shown as our BLT Pasta Salad! And that was my second post! So the recipe is there…:) Thank you!
this is my first time to your site and i love it! i want to go home and make all of these yummy dishes!
Thanks Brandi!
The BLT pasta salad looks yummy and we are going to try it this weekend at our BBQ.
Let us know what you think!
Recipe looks great and the shapes are so Rhythmic .
Love it!
I was introduced to this pasta when the high school that my son attended used it as a fundraiser. I was actually excited about a fundraiser for once. Thoroughly enjoy the pasta and love the music city theme!
Thanks Mary Anne! Appreciate your kind words!
Your pasta shapes add a little fun to an ordinary dish.
I have never had the chance to try your pasta but this one..shaped like little guitars..well that is just the most awesome thing ever!!
Cowgirl boot and guitar pasta?!? Love it!
I need to get this to make my favorite pasta ‘salad’. Cooked pasta with mini pepperonis, mozzarella cheese, maybe some green peppers, maybe some corn, and most definitely a good pour or more of the {Kraft} Roasted Red Pepper salad dressing. Delicious!
Now that sounds good! Thanks Nicole!
Great story & great idea using music shapes in honor of Nashville!
We love it here in Nash Vegas!
This Music City Pasta looks amazing, cannot wait to try it.
Thanks Cathy!
This looks yummy!
Thanks William!
I love using your shaped pasta in things especially when I have to take a dish somewhere and it is the talk of the table then with the different shapes. I also like giving it in gift baskets to friends too. They are thrilled when they see the different pasta in their gift. Thank you for all the ideas you have.
Thanks so much Jan!