Who else is a gravy (red sauce) snob?

[gomomgo]

Kevin's review of Mama Melrose was reassuring because we have an ADR there for our June trip. Like Kevin, I too am a gravy snob and was glad to hear the different options in that restaurant. (By the way - Pete, I love that you said gravy, not sauce!)

Anyone else avoid ordering red entrees in Italian restaurants?

 

[UrsulasShadow]

Marinara??? Spaghetti sauce??? It ain't gravy, guys. Silly foreigners...

ETA: Just looked it up on Wikipedia...click on the discussions tab, too...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravy

 

[SamIAm21]

In my family, it's red gravy. I'm not a snob about it really, but I hate when its that sweet red sauce. I like it to be full of flavor due to spices, garlic, beef stock, etc., but if you add sugar, I'm outta there!

 

[UrsulasShadow]

In my family, it's red gravy. I'm not a snob about it really, but I hate when its that sweet red sauce. I like it to be full of flavor due to spices, garlic, beef stock, etc., but if you add sugar, I'm outta there!

I hate sugar in my sauce, too. My mother always used to put it in. Hello? Tomatoes have enough sugar, thanks!

 

[DisneyKevin]

Maybe she was making "sweet tea sauce".

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Maybe she was making "sweet tea sauce".

To go with your mo-gee-toe and meatballs !!!

 

[disneygirlinnj]

bleh! mama's red sauce is horrible... I didn't get a chance to hear the podcast yet but I'm assuming that was the concensus? I had the chicken parm there in December and it was the worst meal of the trip. I might be an Italian snob...but it's NOT that hard to make chicken parm OR a good marinara!

Oh...and in no way does our family call it gravy although I know a few Italian families that do. For us it's just sauce... gravy is the brown stuff you use with turkey!

 

[Tissa]

Our gravy is brown and goes over chicken fried steak.

 

[DebbieT11]

our gravy's white, peppery, and goes over biscuits. Yum!

 

[UrsulasShadow]

Maybe she was making "sweet tea sauce".

Ok, that made me throw up a little in my mouth....

 

[Tonya2426]

our gravy's white, peppery, and goes over biscuits. Yum!

YUMMMMMMM. I think I may have to make a trip to Hardee's tomorrow morning!!!

 

[Regina]

Me!! I remember walking the 4 flights to my Grandma Rose's apartment in NYC. Everytime you'd open the door, there she was stirring a big pot of sauce. She'd break off a piece of crusty Italian bread, dip it in and give me a taste.

My Mom carried on the tradition. I'd come home from school and the second I walked in I knew what we were having for dinner. I couldn't wait.

Before he married me, my DH never knew that sauce didn't come out of a jar. I swear he got more excited than the kids when I'd take the sauce pot out and put it to use. Whenever the kids visit, they always ask me to make spaghetti and meatballs.

I think the most important ingredient that my Grandma Rose, my Mom and myself put into our sauce was lots of love.

 

[awatt]

Regina, you just brought back memories of my grandma's house, thanks!

In our house it's gravy. The stuff in a jar is sauce.

 

[saturday97]

Well, I guess I'm in the minority here but I consider myself a marinara snob, because I like sugar in it. If it is spaghetti, the marinara needs sugar, IMHO. My grandma ordered the spaghetti at Olive Garden and it was so bland, she added a packet of sugar to the sauce.

My good friend from PA called it gravy, and I always wondered why--"No, no, I'm not talking about the stuff you ladle over turkey, I mean the stuff you put on spaghetti noodles!" I told her. I think she rolled her eyes and called me California girl for the millionth time.

 

[starwood]

The running gag in our family is - the last time MIL was visiting we went out for Italian and she ordered Shrimp Scampi and she complained when she got it that she thought it was the "red kind".

 

[Tinkerspell]

our gravy's white, peppery, and goes over biscuits. Yum!

Amen to that! Guess what I'm making in the morning now?

 

[dizzneebabe]

Regina, you just brought back memories of my grandma's house, thanks!

In our house it's gravy. The stuff in a jar is sauce.

Same here! My grandmother always called it gravy...although she put sugar in it, too.

I learned to make it from my DMIL...and it is MOST definitely gravy to his family, so I've adopted it, too. At times I have had to explain it to friends, but after serving it a couple of times I think they get it!!!

And I LOVE the fact that I am carrying on that tradition!!!

 

[gomomgo]

I also love carrying on the tradition. My kids love dipping the bread in too!

My grandmother made it fresh every week but I actually have it down to where I make the meatballs and sausage and a huge pot of gravy every 5 weeks. We eat it fresh the first Sunday, then freeze 4 portions for 4 more dinners.

During the week though I will make a fresh chopped tomato or marinara because it's quick, but we usually defrost on Sunday!

 

[disneygirlinnj]

yummmmy with crusty bread! and NEVER any sugar!! if you use the right tomatoes, you'll never need sugar.

ohh...and using the word 'noodles' in our family is absolutely forbidden too. we were always told that noodles are what is in Chinese/Japanese cuisine (udon noodles, etc) and spaghetti/penne/fussili/etc/etc is what Italians cook. haha... my family is honestly crazy..but i love em

 

[kimisabella]

We are red sauce snobs in this house, as both dh and have never eaten a jarred sauce. We make our own tomato sauce, even jar our own tomatoes every August - we make enough jarred sauce to last us the year, but sometimes it doesn't make it. In our house you have to be tomato worthy for me to open a jar of our own tomatoes - if you aren't worthy, I'll just use crushed tomatoes from a can