Gravy

SUNDAY SAUCE
by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

SUNDAY SAUCE “some Call It GRAVY” !!!!

Excerpted from SUNDAY SAUCE – When Italian-American Cook

Of all the fine traditions of the Italian-American enclave in the United State, the Sunday afternoon ritual of making and eating a Sunday Sauce, a.k.a. “Gravy” is Italian-America’s most Time-Honored of all. Mamma, Grandma (Nonna) will make her celebrated “Sunday Sauce” and all is glorious. Sunday Sauce? What is it? Well, first off, Sunday Sauce, or as some call it, Gravy or simply “Sauce,” is without question thee number-1 undisputed “Supreme Dish” of our great Italian-American Cuisine and the Italian-American enclave as a whole, “It doesn’t get any better than a Sunday Sauce.” Ok, now, to be more specific for those who may not know about Sunday Sauce, there are a number of variations on the theme. Most Sunday Sauces are made with Italian Sausages, Braciole, and Meatballs. Some people make their versions with; Beef or Pork Neck, while others make their Gravy (Sunday Sauce) with just Sausage and Meatballs, like Pete Clemenza, or the most popular version of; Sausages, Meatballs, and Braciole. Some may throw some Chicken Thighs or a Veal Shank into this mix. Sunday Sauces can be made with any combination of these aforementioned meats. The meats are slowly simmered for several hours in a “Sauce” made with tomatoes, minced onions, and garlic. I generally like to make my Sunday Sauce Gravy with Sausages, Meatballs, and Pork Ribs. Other times I’ll make it with Sausage, Meatballs, and Braciole. An old tradition in some families is that mother or Grandma would start the Sauce early on a Sunday morning, get all the ingredients in the pot and start the Gravy simmering away for a couple hours on top of the stove, then put it in the oven for a couple hours while everyone goes to Church. When you get back home, the Sauce would be ready, “ready to be devoured that is!”

Our family would usually start our Sunday meal with the most traditional Italian-American-Antipasto of roast peppers, Salami, Olives, Celery, and Provolone. After that, it’s on to the Main Event of Maccheroni and Sunday Sauce, a dish which is something so Blissfully and Pleasurably Sublime, that it is almost “Sinful.” Yes it is.

When a meal centered around a Sunday Sauce is announced, one can have visions of Blissful Ecstasy at thoughts of eating Pasta laden with Italian Sausages, Savory Meatballs, Beef Braciola, and succulent Pork Ribs. All this has been slowly simmered to culinary perfection. Yes just the thoughts can enrapture one into a delightful frenzy of the “Most Blissful Feelings” of smelling, seeing, and consuming all the ingredients, the Sausages, Meatballs and Gravy. Yes a Sunday Sauce can and does have such effects on one’s mind, body, and soul. And, I do not want to sound prejudice, but this is pure fact, it is the Male of the Italian-American species who Love The Sunday Sauce in all its form, far more than the female sex. True! Meatballs too! And Italian-American men and boys Love and hold oh-so-dear, their Meatballs, Sunday Sauce, Sausage & Peppers, and Meatball Parm Sandwiches.

Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

FRANK

SIGNATURE That IS !!!!

MEATBALLS

“MANGIA BENE” !!!

Ode to SUNDAY SAUCE

“ODE To THE GRAVY”

The rituals of cooking, serving, and eating Sunday Sauce is a time honored one. It
is a quite a beautiful thing, same as making a Mole in Mexico, or Cassoulet
in France. They are all wonderful things of beauty that delight mans every sensory perception; sight, smell, taste, and feel. First, you probably smell the “Sauce’s” heady aroma wafting through the air. The smell is so intoxicating,

it gets your juices flowing immediately.

Once you smell it, you want it, and can’t wait to sink you teeth into it.

Second you will see it in all its gloriousness. You will then eat, whereupon you taste

and feel and experience one of Italian-America’s greatest pleasures, the Sunday Sauce Italian Gravy. A Sunday Sauce (Gravy) takes time and effort to make. It is made and served with Love.

All these great dishes bring together friends and family, and for Italian-Americans, Sunday Sauce is King of all dishes.

If you utter the term Sunday Sauce to any number of millions of Italian-Americans, they will immediately start salivating at the simple mention of its name. The wheels start turning in their heads, with thoughts of how tasty it is, with its various components; the Meatballs, Sausages, Braciole, maybe Ribs, Beef Neck, or Pig Skin Braciole, as well as the Pasta, and the Gravy itself. They think aboutsitting at the table with friends, family, people they love. They’ll ponder the Antipasti, wondering what it might be; mixed Salumi, Baked Clams, Grilled Calamari? And with the meal, there will surely be Wine. Italian Wine, which might be a good Chianti or perhaps Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. With Uncle Frank and Uncle Tony, the wine was usually Carlo Rossi Paisano or Gallo Hearty Burgundy, two solid Italian-American Winemakers.

When thinking of a Sunday Sauce, you’ll think about the warmth in the air, of loved ones, Sinatra, Dino, and the Sunday Sauce itself. “It’s a beautiful thing!” If you’ve never done it, “Try it!” If you haven’t cooked one for some time, plan a get-together with friends and family, soon. Sunday Sauce, It brings people together, in a most delightful way. And as the Big Boys would say, “It’s a Beautiful Thing.”

Excerpt From Sunday Sauce in Daniel Bellino-Zwicke ‘s

SUNDAY SAUCE “When Italian-Americans Cook”

On Broadway Fifth Press

Learn How to Make Sunday Sauce Italian GravyClick Here !

SECRET RECIPES
Favorite Italian Dishes
byDaniel Bellino-Zwicke

SUNDAY SAUCE – WHEN ITALIAN-AMERICANS COOK

CLEMENZA (Richard Castellano) TEACHES MICHAEL (AL PACINO) How to Make SUNDAY SAUCE alla CLEMENZA “MOB WAR STYLE”
http://www.amazon.com/Sunday-Sauce-When-Italian-Americans-Cook/dp/1490991026

“Come here kid, lem-me show you something.You never know when you’re gonna have to cook for 20 guys some day.” Pete Clemenza says to Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather. it’s one of the most famed movie scenes in history and of great importance to Italian-Americans. Clemenza is making “Gravy” aka Sunday Sauce, the Supreme Dish of Italian-America, and the dish that brings Italian Families together each and every Sunday. Learn How to Make Clemenza’s Sunday Sauce, Meatballs, Pasta Fazool, Moma DiMaggio’s Gravy, Goodfellas Sauce, and all of the great favorites of The Italian American Table. Cook Sinatra’s Spaghetti & Meatballs, Italian Wedding Soup and more, and delight in the many stories and factual information written by Italian Food & Wine Writer Daniel Bellino Zwicke. This book is filled with Joy & Love, and you will get many years of both, reading, cooking and eating the dishes of SUNDAY SAUCE “when Italian-Americans Eat”