In this Travel With Val report, Time Warner Cable News' Valarie D'Elia looks at how the world is coming together over a simple plate of pasta.
"Food is Italy and you can help these people with food because food is famous in Italy," says Sebastian Iacono, Asst. F & B manager at Savoia Excelsior Palace in Trieste, Italy.
Italians gathering at the table, a tradition that can't be destroyed by a crisis of any magnitude.
"The most important moments in life are always related to food,” says Franz Mitterrutzner, Falisia Resort "Eating and drinking. This is the center of Italian culture and Italian way of life."
So it makes perfect sense that one response to the devastating earthquake in Central Italy revolves around a famous pasta dish called Spaghetti "all'Amatriciana."
"This dish is known in many countries, in many places in the world, but nobody knew that the origin of this dish is the place in Italy where the earthquake happened," Mitterrutzner says.
So now, Amatrice, one of the small villages leveled by the deadly quake, is being remembered not solely for its heartbreaking loss of life, but its history of providing sustenance to others. And now the world is responding by literally dishing out disaster relief.
"In some restaurant you can order the typical pasta from Amatrice, Amatriciana and they will donated two euro to help people. The customer give one euro and the restaurant give one euro," Mitterrutzner sauys.
Look out for the pasta promo at an Italian restaurant at home or abroad or simply show your support by creating the dish yourself.
I share the recipe on my website at travelwithval.com.