AL DENTE: Spinach Farfalletti Pasta, 12 oz

The year was 1980, and in the world of pasta, the times they were-a-changin’.  Almost overnight, Americans went from thinking of pasta as “spaghetti and meatballs” to seeking an array of shapes, flavors and recipes.  After witnessing this “Pasta Revolution” in NYC, Monique Deschaine had her aha moment, one that would change the trajectory of her life.  Why not make fresh pasta in her hometown of Ann Arbor, Michigan?  But with a twist.  The twist would be to make pasta that cooked quickly, tasted fresh, but had the convenience of a dried pasta.  The 24-year-old novice entrepreneur was on a mission!

As often happens, the idea seemed perfect but the obstacles were many.  With a degree in psychology, Monique had never taken a business course, had no access to capital, was not Italian, and didn’t know the first thing about making pasta!