My grandmother put the pasta in the CHEAP FOR PRESERVATION and cooked it in the fire: If modern people know why, they will be very SURPRISED!

2. **Cooking Over a Fire**: Cooking over an open fire is a traditional method that people used when there were no stoves or electric appliances. It imparts a distinct flavor to the food and could also be a practical way of cooking when fuel was scarce or other cooking methods were unavailable.

3. **Cheap or Improvised Containers**: The “CHEAP FOR PRESERVATION” part could refer to containers or techniques that were low-cost yet effective. People might have used makeshift containers, like jars, metal tins, or even cloth bags, to store dried pasta or other foods.

Why might this be surprising to modern people? Well, today we have refrigeration, convenience foods, and specialized storage containers, so many old preservation techniques seem out-of-date. The idea of cooking over a fire or using inexpensive methods to keep food safe may seem primitive, but for previous generations, it was often the most practical solution available.

If you’re talking about something even more specific, let me know, and I can dig deeper into the story!