I thoroughly enjoy when companies give serious replies to my ridiculous questions.

In this case, the problem is with pasta, which happens to be a big part of my life.  I tend to buy different brands from time to time, though my favorite is San Giorgio.  At some point I ended up with both a box of their shells and a box of Harris Teeter brand shells.

Notice the problem?  Same pasta, allegedly different sizes.  I know that most people would just eat the pasta and go on with their lives.  A few would shrug their shoulders at the difference, eat the pasta and then go on with their lives.  Obviously my brain is not wired like those people.

I emailed the customer service people at each company, getting a prompt reply from Harris Teeter, and hearing back from San Giorgio a few weeks later.  Both of their explanations were illuminating, but in different ways.

Harris Teeter said there is no standard on shape or size among the manufacturers, and that pasta that looks the same can be given different names.

“These particular pasta shells, shape #011, are referred to as ‘Shells,’ ‘Medium Shells,’ ‘Large Shells,’ ‘Sea Shells’ depending on what branded or private-label it is being packaged into,” they said.

With San Giorgio, it was more like the situation you might see at a movie theater when you order popcorn or soda.  You know, the way you order a large and then find yourself aghast and asking, “THAT’S a large?!  What’s that bigger one then?”  The kid behind the counter points to a truly epic cup and tells you it’s a “jumbo.”

That’s how San Giorgio sells shells (not sure if any seashores are involved).

“San Giorgio shells come in 3 different sizes,” they said.  “Small, Large and Jumbo.  In a case like this the large and medium would be the same.”

Now you know the pasta aisle is the Wild West of the grocery store, where large is medium and everyone is trying to claim territory (in your pantry).