Exactly enough time in a pot 

of boiling, salted water 

brings a good noodle to a simple 

balance between flexible and firm. 

Perfected pasta will pause for thought while you pour the sauce 

so you can swallow its untoughened texture and enjoy just the flavors 

you were craving in the first place.

Too much time turns thinning spaghetti strings 

too soft to taste, and nothing can be unboiled. 

But I am not there yet, I don’t think I ever really started 

cooking. If you throw me against the wall, I won’t stick, 

I’ll break.