The wonderful Journey
This is a breathtaking documentary series in which Gidi Gov and Israel Aharoni investigate the origin of pasta along the historical Silk Route. Their adventure, punctuated with a lot of humor, takes place throughout almost half of the world (6,000 km!) in an attempt to solve the ancient dispute between the Chinese and the Italians. This seven episode documentary series is a fascinating anthropological and culinary journey.
The episodes are a mix of breathtaking panoramas, unique methods of making pasta, and fascinating encounters with local people. Together the pair becomes acquainted with local cultures, foods, music, and daily routines. The viewer will discover that many locations along the Route of Silk have almost frozen in time, but pasta lives and breathes, and its versatility and ubiquity are unbelievable.
Watch "The wonderful Journey" online: nana10 website
Episode 1 – Sian – The beginning – the King’s dumplings
Sian – the capital of ancient China, is the eastern tip of the Silk Route. In Sian, Aharoni and Gidi find various types of pasta but focus on dumplings (stuffed pasta). They see many types of dumplings, from the specially crafted dumplings in the Imperial cuisine, to “People’s Dumplings” found on any street corner.
Episode 2 – Going West
Aharoni and Gidi cross villages and towns, heading west and using various types of transportation. Along the way, they discover unusual methods of making noodles, using many kinds of materials and surprising techniques.
Episode 3 – All the way to the edge of China
This episode contains an unconceivable multitude of locations, peoples, cultures, and foods. A mix of languages, methods of preparations, and customs that have survived the years. Aharoni surprises Gidi with a gesture: local musicians play for him, and Gidi is touched.
Episode 4 – Buchara. Aharoni searches for his roots
Aharoni is in search of his roots, his family’s origin. They were a family of merchants traveling the Silk Route. This is a personal episode combining memories and a fascinating encounter with the people of Buchara and their culinary surprises.
Episode 5 – Eastern Turkey
From the Iranian border through the remnants of Noah’s Ark, the less tame and more Muslim part of Turkey. Here we see thrilling methods of making kadaif noodles and unique places that are on the verge of ruin.
Episode 6 – Turkey and the Encounter with Biblical History
This is the junction between the Silk Route and the Perfume Route coming up from Canaan. The biblical story is that of Abraham and his tribe. The cave in which he was born, the town of Urpa, (Ur Kasdim) and Haran. Urpa is Turkey’s culinary capital, and Urpan Kebab is globally renowned. At the end of this episode, Aharoni and Gidi reach Istanbul.
Episode 7 – Pasta as Science – Italy
The western tip of the Silk Route. Pasta is presented here as an art and an exact science. There are over 200 types of pasta made using original techniques, materials that have been developed especially for pasta, in hand-crafted work and in methods of mass manufacture.
They visit the town of Graniano – where industrial pasta originated and then spread out over Italy. The town was founded by pasta makers and the lives of its residents revolve around the manufacture of pasta till this very day. This is the concluding episode, where Aharoni and Gidi humorously review all that they’ve seen and been through: the music, the culture, and especially the differences between all types of pasta and its manufacture.