Pasta whore

Last night I had fresh pasta from Pasta Puttana -- or Pasta Whore.  This is a small business started by Jessica Volpe (not a Chicago native but living here now).  She makes a few varieties of pasta and sells them at the Edgewater Farmers Market, the Green City Market, and at Green Grocery (where I got mine last night).  The pasta was different in texture and flavor than I am used to.  It also cooks in 10 seconds.  How's that for fast food?  It's $8 for what amounts to a serving for two people -- if it's not all you eat for dinner this really is for two people -- so it's not that expensive.  The ingredients are not 100% organic but many of them are, and with one or two exceptions all are locally sourced.  The pasta can be frozen and just dropped into boiling water to cook still in 10 seconds (otherwise it spoils quickly).  You can read more about Jessica and her company here.  

This is the sort of business that deserves supporting: quality artisan products but someone who loves that type of food so much they want to dedicate their life (or at least their free time) to making it.  This is also the type of product you'll never find at a Whole Foods or a Trader Joes with a national buying system.  Shops like Green Grocer bring things products within our reach.  They spend the time finding them, and all we need to do is find the shops.  I know there are more artisan food shops near me.  I just need to find them now!