Red Sauce America - Food, Culture, and Italian American Experience


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The History of Zeppole di San Giuseppe

By on Tuesday, March 12th, 2024

The Feast of San Giuseppe is celebrated every year on March 19, and is also known as Festa del Papá, father’s day in Italy. The feast day celebrates Joseph, husband of the Virgin Mary. But it also means one thing for Italian American bakeries: zeppole di San Giuseppe.






The History of Pasta Con Le Sarde

By on Monday, March 11th, 2024

Macaroni con le sarde, or a pasta con le sarde, is a traditional Sicilian pasta made with a sauce of fresh sardines and fennel greens and tossed with toasted breadcrumbs. While a common dish in Sicily, it’s less well known in the United States, except perhaps, in New Orleans where it has become the cornerstone of the St. Joseph’s Day celebration.






The History of New Jersey’s Italian Hot Dog

By on Monday, February 19th, 2024

Italian Americans are well known for a variety of sausages, but hot dogs aren’t usually considered an Italian sausage. However, that didn’t stop the Italians in New Jersey from adopting the hot dog, and making it uniquely their own.






The History of Chicago’s Italian Beef Sandwich

By on Tuesday, January 30th, 2024

Chicago’s meatpacking industry helped make beef a staple on American plates, but it also shaped an iconic Italian sandwich.






The History Spiral Lasagna

By on Thursday, December 14th, 2023

Don Angie’s pinwheel lasagna has been a viral sensation since the restaurant opened in 2017. Their beautiful and delicious dish has deservedly attracted buzz, but spiral baked lasagna actually has a long history before their restaurant opened.






The Red Sauce America Guide to Christmas Panettone

By on Friday, December 1st, 2023

Nothing is quite like cutting open a panettone on Christmas morning. It’s a tradition that has been in my family since before I even liked eating bread filled with candied fruit. While Panettone has become an important Italian Christmas tradition, the modern recipe synonymous with the holiday only evolved in the mid-twentieth century.






A Brief History of New York City’s Oldest Pizzerias

By on Tuesday, October 10th, 2023

Pizza was born in Naples, but it was the Italian immigrants in New York City who mastered it. Today, pizza grown into a truly American food available in every corner of the country. Yet, a little more than a century ago, it was an unknown ethnic food few Americans had ever heard of.






The History of Philadelphia’s Italian Roast Pork Sandwich

By on Tuesday, September 26th, 2023

Philadelphia might be best known for its cheesesteak, but there’s a secret sandwich lurking in the city of Brotherly love. The Philadelphia Italian Roast Pork sandwich is a local delicacy created in the city a century ago by Italian immigrants, and it’s since become a local favorite that’s hard to find outside the city.






The Many Foods of the Feast of San Gennaro

By on Friday, September 22nd, 2023

The Feast of San Gennaro festival in New York City started in 1926 when a group of men from the same village in Naples decided to roast a few chickens to celebrate their beloved saint.The neighborhood block party quickly evolved into a street fair organized by Italian Americans in Manhattan.






Don’t Call It Bacon

By on Thursday, July 8th, 2021

Italian-American recipes often call on salted pork products. Some early recipes don’t bother specifying, simply calling the pork “salt pork” to distinguish it from fresh, raw meat. Pancetta, guanciale, and prosciutto are three of the most common of these Italian meats.











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