Comments on: This or That http://italyville.com/2008/03/this-or-that/ the result of growing up Italian Tue, 15 May 2012 13:47:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Proud Italian Cook http://italyville.com/2008/03/this-or-that/#comment-132 Proud Italian Cook Thu, 13 Mar 2008 04:20:00 +0000 http://italyville.wordpress.com/2008/03/03/this-or-that/#comment-132 Don't forget the basil!! I have to have fresh basil in my sauce, whether its a fresh sauce made from tomatoes in the garden,or a can of San Marzano,( which btw I love!!) Even though their pricey,not a bit of acid! delicious, and worth every penny! Don’t forget the basil!! I have to have fresh basil in my sauce, whether its a fresh sauce made from tomatoes in the garden,or a can of San Marzano,( which btw I love!!) Even though their pricey,not a bit of acid! delicious, and worth every penny!

]]> By: hopemiles http://italyville.com/2008/03/this-or-that/#comment-131 hopemiles Fri, 07 Mar 2008 19:40:00 +0000 http://italyville.wordpress.com/2008/03/03/this-or-that/#comment-131 I miss a good ol' gelato on a hot summer day. I know that gelato is available here, but it's just not the same.<br/><br/>And yep...guilty as charged...I am (was) the Dr. Pepper lover. I quit that habit. I also missed cheddar cheese (my husband is from Wisconsin) when I lived in Bologna. It's hard to make nachos or tacos without it!<br/><br/>I am going to try your boullion cube! <br/><br/>One last thing I miss...talking about food to restaurant servers/cooks. You just don't have that same experience at local restaurants in the US. More often than not, servers have no idea what's in the dish they are serving...nor do they really care. <br/><br/>Oh, and I also miss my early days in Italy when the chef walked out of the kitchen to see which crazy foreign person was actually ordering spaghetti bolognese! :) ME, of course...I didn't know any better! I miss a good ol’ gelato on a hot summer day. I know that gelato is available here, but it’s just not the same.

And yep…guilty as charged…I am (was) the Dr. Pepper lover. I quit that habit. I also missed cheddar cheese (my husband is from Wisconsin) when I lived in Bologna. It’s hard to make nachos or tacos without it!

I am going to try your boullion cube!

One last thing I miss…talking about food to restaurant servers/cooks. You just don’t have that same experience at local restaurants in the US. More often than not, servers have no idea what’s in the dish they are serving…nor do they really care.

Oh, and I also miss my early days in Italy when the chef walked out of the kitchen to see which crazy foreign person was actually ordering spaghetti bolognese! :) ME, of course…I didn’t know any better!

]]> By: joe@italyville.com http://italyville.com/2008/03/this-or-that/#comment-130 joe@italyville.com Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:40:00 +0000 http://italyville.wordpress.com/2008/03/03/this-or-that/#comment-130 Thanks Maryann. I can't take full credit yet. I'm still in training:) Dad is the Master. Thanks Maryann. I can’t take full credit yet. I’m still in training:) Dad is the Master.

]]> By: Maryann http://italyville.com/2008/03/this-or-that/#comment-129 Maryann Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:25:00 +0000 http://italyville.wordpress.com/2008/03/03/this-or-that/#comment-129 Wow! You made the sausage? Great job, kiddo! Wow! You made the sausage? Great job, kiddo!

]]> By: 'A Tuscan view.....from Umbria' http://italyville.com/2008/03/this-or-that/#comment-128 'A Tuscan view.....from Umbria' Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:41:00 +0000 http://italyville.wordpress.com/2008/03/03/this-or-that/#comment-128 I bow to your sausage making skill Joe, that's amazing. :) I bow to your sausage making skill Joe, that’s amazing. :)

]]> By: Sally http://italyville.com/2008/03/this-or-that/#comment-127 Sally Tue, 04 Mar 2008 15:54:00 +0000 http://italyville.wordpress.com/2008/03/03/this-or-that/#comment-127 You are so right - it is the quality of the ingredients. <br/><br/>It's not just for the sauce, either. Back in the UK, I used to make my own sauce and then serve it with cheap pasta. <br/><br/>Italian man would say, 'Good, but the pasta is horrible'. If we went shopping together, he'd fill the basket with 'De Cecco' which cost much more than the price I'd usually have paid. <br/><br/>When he wasn't there, I'd switch back to cheaper brands to save money - he ALWAYS noticed the difference. (Luckily, I can now too.) A good quality pasta is also more 'forgiving'. If it's 'al dente' it's great, but if you slightly overcook it it's still very good. You are so right – it is the quality of the ingredients.

It’s not just for the sauce, either. Back in the UK, I used to make my own sauce and then serve it with cheap pasta.

Italian man would say, ‘Good, but the pasta is horrible’. If we went shopping together, he’d fill the basket with ‘De Cecco’ which cost much more than the price I’d usually have paid.

When he wasn’t there, I’d switch back to cheaper brands to save money – he ALWAYS noticed the difference. (Luckily, I can now too.) A good quality pasta is also more ‘forgiving’. If it’s ‘al dente’ it’s great, but if you slightly overcook it it’s still very good.

]]> By: joe@italyville.com http://italyville.com/2008/03/this-or-that/#comment-126 joe@italyville.com Tue, 04 Mar 2008 14:45:00 +0000 http://italyville.wordpress.com/2008/03/03/this-or-that/#comment-126 Maryann, you're right... Italians have a love affair with food:)<br/><br/>Cherrye - yes, my aunt in Lamazia taught me that one.<br/><br/>Amanda, we (with dad) did make the sausage... better yet, sopressata weekend is coming up:) my favorite! By the way, the old guys at the bar are debating many things... don't you love it!?<br/><br/>Lorraine - I've seen some of your dishes (yum!). I think you'll be ok with or without the fresh tomatoes:) By the way, congrats on the award!! Maryann, you’re right… Italians have a love affair with food:)

Cherrye – yes, my aunt in Lamazia taught me that one.

Amanda, we (with dad) did make the sausage… better yet, sopressata weekend is coming up:) my favorite! By the way, the old guys at the bar are debating many things… don’t you love it!?

Lorraine – I’ve seen some of your dishes (yum!). I think you’ll be ok with or without the fresh tomatoes:) By the way, congrats on the award!!

]]> By: lorraine@italianfoodies http://italyville.com/2008/03/this-or-that/#comment-125 lorraine@italianfoodies Tue, 04 Mar 2008 14:39:00 +0000 http://italyville.wordpress.com/2008/03/03/this-or-that/#comment-125 Unfortunately we can't get those fresh tomatoes so like Maryann I rely on san marzano tomatoes imported too or just a tin of good old de cecco pomodorini!! Unfortunately we can’t get those fresh tomatoes so like Maryann I rely on san marzano tomatoes imported too or just a tin of good old de cecco pomodorini!!

]]> By: 'A Tuscan view.....from Umbria' http://italyville.com/2008/03/this-or-that/#comment-124 'A Tuscan view.....from Umbria' Tue, 04 Mar 2008 14:06:00 +0000 http://italyville.wordpress.com/2008/03/03/this-or-that/#comment-124 Hey Joe, surely you didn't make that sausage! Did you?<br/><br/>As for tomato sauce, well Maryann said it all, first you've got to have the passion. It's one of those simple, wonderful things that makes Italy one of the greatest food cultures in the world. There are bars all over Italy where the old guys are debating this very thing, right now, with love and passion, they really care and that's what make it great.<br/><br/>My little 'extra' is either a bay leaf or a good grating of nutmeg. Ciao Hey Joe, surely you didn’t make that sausage! Did you?

As for tomato sauce, well Maryann said it all, first you’ve got to have the passion. It’s one of those simple, wonderful things that makes Italy one of the greatest food cultures in the world. There are bars all over Italy where the old guys are debating this very thing, right now, with love and passion, they really care and that’s what make it great.

My little ‘extra’ is either a bay leaf or a good grating of nutmeg. Ciao

]]> By: Cherrye http://italyville.com/2008/03/this-or-that/#comment-123 Cherrye Tue, 04 Mar 2008 09:16:00 +0000 http://italyville.wordpress.com/2008/03/03/this-or-that/#comment-123 Chicken bouillon cube? Ok. I'll try it!<br/><br/>Maryann - you are sooo good!!! Chicken bouillon cube? Ok. I’ll try it!

Maryann – you are sooo good!!!

]]>