Timeline – 1998 Part 3

Beetle Bailey Sunday page digital proof, July 26, 1998.

Sarge, with his boisterous and exuberant personality, is the kind of guy who gets vocal in the shower.  But what would he sing?

We have done gags that have him belting out patriotic songs and marching tunes.  I thought it might funny for him to rhapsodize about one of his favorite foods.

This idea was probably inspired by “The Pasta Song” by John Riggio.  Here’s a video of that familiar tune.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqDu9TU3CCU

Sesame Street did their own pasta song in 1993. This is the first verse:

You dump a bag of flour and some water
You mix it and you fix it with maybe an egg for a treat!
You squeeze it out, you roll it out, you slice it up or fold it
When you finish, what’ve you got?
Lots of things to eat!
Like spaghetti, orecchiette, puntalette and linguine!
Some capelli, or anelli, vermicelli, farfalline!
Rigatoni, macaroni, cannelloni and stelline!
Pappardelle, and rotini, tagliatelli, fettuccine!!!
Lasagna! Tortellini!

There are two major classifications of pasta, fresca (fresh) and secca (dried), and more than 400 types including sheets, strips, long strands, cylinders, unique shapes, flavors, and many other local varieties. There are more names for pasta than the mind can retain, yet all are made from the same basic ingredients — 100% durum wheat and water.

Sarge may not speak Italian, but he knows his pasta.

Check back here next week for the next installment in our Timeline series.

– Brian Walker