The current political season calls for a timeout and a sprinkle of levity. So in that spirit, out comes a survey from the USA's largest pasta maker, American Italian Pasta Company. Red state/blue state analysis shows Democrats lean towards elbow macaroni, while Republicans ...

Italian pasta is up 60 percent this year. Pasta makers had blamed biofuels. The Italian government is now investigating price fixing after consumer groups protested. “Yes, the price of wheat has risen, but it has simply gone back to 1985 levels,” Rosario Trefiletti, president of the Federconsumatori consumers’ association told CNN.

Italian authorities have opened an investigation into pasta manufacturers over alleged price fixing.

Italian cuisine as a national cuisine known today has evolved from centuries of social and political change. Its roots can be traced back to 4th century BC through to the introduction of notable chefs such as Maestro Martino who cooked an elegant refined Italian cuisine. The cuisine significantly changed with discovery of the New World helped shape much of what is known as Italian cuisine today with introduction of items as potatoes, tomatoes, bell pepper and maize, which are all central parts of the cuisine but were not introduced in scale until the 18th century.Ingredients and dishes vary by region. There are many significant regional dishes that have become both national and regional. Many dishes that were once regional, however, have proliferated in different variations across the country in the present day. Cheese and wine are also a major part of the cuisine, playing different roles both regionally and nationally with their many variations and Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) (regulated appellation) laws. Coffee, and more specifically espresso has become highly important to the cultural cuisine of Italy.