At St. Mesrob Church in Racine, WI, pastor Fr. Avedis Kalayjian and his wife Yn. Karen have taken it upon themselves to fill a void in the market: namely, to create a product for Armenian children that would strengthen their pride in their Armenian Christian culture and heritage.
The brainstorm came while feeding their son store-bought alphabet soup: that’s when the Kalayjians envisioned a version of the soup based on letters of the Armenian alphabet. The result is “Ayp-ու-Pasta”: a dry pasta product in the shapes of all 38 Armenian letters, suitable for any dish as a replacement to traditional macaroni.
They found a manufacturer in Italy, and have successfully tested the product in all manner of sauces, soups, and macaroni dishes. The uncooked letters are also ideal for use in children’s crafts.
Best of all, the proceeds from the project support the Fund for Armenian Relief and the Armenian Wounded Heroes Fund. “Ayp-ու-Pasta” can be purchased online, and will be introduced into Armenian grocery stores in various cities. Visit the website Hyepasta.com to learn more—including ways to use the product for fundraising efforts at local parishes.