Today was Sauce making day

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Isn't real italian sauce made from fresh tomato's?

Not really. There is a significant element of additional cost and work in working from tomatoes. And the tomatoes themselves are just as "pre-processed" as cans of sauce, coming from mega-farms, etc.

Fred, I know what you're saying if you buy your tomato’s in the grocery store but I was thinking more like using home-grown tomato’s. I remember the first time I made some sauce using my own vine ripened tomato’s, me and my family never wanted to go back to canned sauce. It sure does take extra time though.

When I use fresh tomato’s, before I add them to the meat, I like to strain out the juice after they have simmered about 20 minutes to thicken the sauce up some, and if you chill the juice, it tastes incredible. I figure if you make a huge batch this way, it's worth the extra effort. I also used my own home-grown basil and oregano, yum.

As a side note, I have a hard time finding a good olive oil. I remember buying some one time and noticed it had a wonderful fruity taste even though it was not infused with anything. The store we bought it from stopped carrying that oil, much to our disappointment. Most of the olive oil we buy at Sam's club or Costco is bland, do you know a brand that has this full bodied, almost fruity taste without having to break the bank?
 
That looks like the refrigerator of a very organised woman :). You have the cutest helpers.

Right on both counts, Heidi!


Isn't real italian sauce made from fresh tomato's?

Not really. There is a significant element of additional cost and work in working from tomatoes. And the tomatoes themselves are just as "pre-processed" as cans of sauce, coming from mega-farms, etc.

Fred, I know what you're saying if you buy your tomato’s in the grocery store but I was thinking more like using home-grown tomato’s. I remember the first time I made some sauce using my own vine ripened tomato’s, me and my family never wanted to go back to canned sauce. It sure does take extra time though.

When I use fresh tomato’s, before I add them to the meat, I like to strain out the juice after they have simmered about 20 minutes to thicken the sauce up some, and if you chill the juice, it tastes incredible. I figure if you make a huge batch this way, it's worth the extra effort. I also used my own home-grown basil and oregano, yum.

As a side note, I have a hard time finding a good olive oil. I remember buying some one time and noticed it had a wonderful fruity taste even though it was not infused with anything. The store we bought it from stopped carrying that oil, much to our disappointment. Most of the olive oil we buy at Sam's club or Costco is bland, do you know a brand that has this full bodied, almost fruity taste without having to break the bank?

I don't have easy access to a garden (nor am I a gardener), so I have to make do. You might be correct about the additional flavor - for me the difference of cooking with the meat is so profound (from store sauce) that it makes it worthwhile.

The question about olive oil is a good one. I remember seeing a review on some cooking show (I forget which) in which they ranked various brands. They made the point that if the olive oil is bland, there is really no reason to even use it (instead of another oil). You may want to search for something like that review on the web.
 
About olive oil - we buy ours in bulk at one of the Italian grocery stores located in the Strip District of Pittsburgh. We fill our own bottles from a mega-gallon container - it's so much cheaper even than buying at Sam's and the taste is much better. I'm using more olive oil now than I ever have - we love dipping Italian bread into olive oil mixed with dipping spices - YUM!!!
 
My wife does this too, then cans it in the pressure canner (you have to if you're adding meat). When she makes a batch, it is without meatballs but with browned and seasoned hamburger, about 10 lbs of it (and about 20-30lbs of tomatoes). It is truly awesome to see that woman cook!

One other thing: I know a few Italians here in Hamilton who swear by not just fresh pomodoros, but from their own back yard! One older lady that I know has about 1/2 her back yard planted in tomatoes, just for this very thing! And there are great displays of passion when any other way besides their mother's way is even suggested.
 
Fred,

Two weeks ago I made my own sauce and meatballs. The sauce simmered for nearly eight hours. It was tremendous (if I do say so myself).
 
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