Do you call it Gravy of Sauce?

[vickyBaby]

I married an Italian. When I make a pot of Tomato Sauce from scratch, he calls it Gravy. IT'S SAUCE. I never saw a jar of Ragu or Francesco Rinaldi that said "gravy" on it.

 

[piratesmate]

As a non-Italian, I've always called it sauce. However, I was corrected 26 years ago (when I first got married) by a friend's VERY Italian mother. Hers was the best gravy I've ever tasted, so I was more than willing to call it by its "correct" name whenever in her presence. She still wouldn't part with the 'secret' to her recipe, though! The only tip she ever gave me was that I needed to use Gravy Master (or Kitchen Bouquet) to it - believe it or not, it made a difference in the taste!

Since then, I've met many people of Italian descent who call it gravy . . . although, they are the ONLY ones I know who do so.

d

BTW - My friend's mother told me that the stuff in the jars could "call itself what it wants, it isn't Italian and it isn't gravy!"

 

[Harley Chick]

DH calls it gravy, I call it spag sauce.

 

[pumba]

it will always be sauce to me.........so how much of the Gravy Master do I use.......I love that stuff for my soups too...thanks

 

[chessie]

I married an Italian (grandparents straight from Italy) and they all called it sauce, but they called spaghetti, macaroni. Just about anything pasta was called macaroni.

 

[gina2000]

I'm Italian and I'd never even heard the term "gravy" til I met my DH. I think it's a regional thing - he's from northern NJ and everyone calls it that up there - I'm from central NJ and we don't.

Macaroni is any kind of pasta to all of us, though.

 

[piratesmate]

so how much of the Gravy Master do I use

Oh Pumba - I don't use measurements, I just "glug". I'd say it's between a half & a tablespoon to a quart. . . enough to change the color from bright red to dark.

 

[DizkneeDenna]

OK - what is Gravy Master and where do I find it?

Thanks for any help......

 

[piratesmate]

In one of our grocery stores, it's in with the soups, bouillon, & gravy. In the other it's with the spices.

Kitchen Bouquet comes in a dark brown bottle with a yellow label. The bottle is round, but gets progressively smaller towards the top. The bottle is ~6" tall, I guess.

Gravy Master comes in a 4-sided bottle - also tapered. I think it's also dark brown, but I can't remember what color the label is. The bottle is shorter than KB's.

 

[s&k'smom]

This is so funny, my sister in law (who's Italian) calls it gravy but I've always called it sauce. hey you guys I'd love a really good gravy/sauce recipe from scratch? Any suggestions? Thanks (though with this warm New England weather I don't feel much like cooking!!)

 

[piratesmate]

A couple people posted recipes on this thread.

Pasta Sauce from scratch

 

[chessie]

I don't know that there is an exact recipe. It's just tomato, herbs, garlic and any meat you might have around. I do believe that the real secret is in the tomato you use. I use tomato puree. And use a good brand name. I though I would save money one time when the store brand was on sale. My sauce was awful. I put more herbs and garlic than you could ever imagine to try to fix it.

 

[s&k'smom]

Thanks you guys, printing out recipes as we speak!

 

[Blondie]

Both DH and I were raised in Philly, and the surrounding 'burbs and all the Italians I've ever met always called it gravy.

 

[vickyBaby]

It is very true about using a good tomato puree. When you find a brand you like, stick with it. If you switch, you might not like the taste. I've had it happen to me. I usually use Pomi (looks like a parmalat box). If I can't get this, I use Red Pack or Tuttorosso. Anytime I have used any other brand, I am dissastified with the results.

My sister-in-law puts pepperoni in her gravy/sauce. Mmmmm. It gives a real good flavor.

 

[webmomom]

We have always called it sauce. I am also from Philly ( northeast) and worked in a restaurant with an Italian chef and he always called it gravy.

 

[rbuzzotta]

Hi vickylan,

I was just lurking and saw your post. How funny that I posted the same question on the CB a few days ago. This has been an ongoing thing with my DH and I since we married 12 years ago. I call it sauce, he calls it gravy. Wondering if it originated from the part of Italy people were from. My family was from Calabria (sauce) his dad from Sicily (sauce), his mothers from Naples (gravy).

Interesting.......

 

[chessie]

Rosemary,

I am one of the few sauce people on this thread and my husbands grandparents were from both Calabria and Sicily. My own distinction is if it is made from the essence of the meat it's gravy, if it's made of anything else it is sauce.

Chessie