Oh, right.

What do macarons and macaroni have in common? Not much, other than the fact that they’re both made from pulverized ingredients (almonds and wheat, respectively). Though etymologists debate the subject, it’s thought by many that the Italian word maccheroni comes from an earlier Italian word, maccare that means “to reduce” or “make smaller.” The present day Italian word macarie, “rubble”, lends credence to this idea. The Spanish word for “chew” — mascar — is quite similar.