. . . this thread was hijacked . .
Hijacked? ? ? I can usually appreciate the problem of having a thread hijacked - - I've had many of mine go that way. But for you, define hijacked? You put something out here and claimed it was "perfect pizza sauce." Cannot one say something different or add their thoughts to it, esp. when they may think its far from "perfect"? I didn't see any disrespect. I saw other opinions. I would normally think the best definition of hijacked is
going way off the subject and I didn't see that here. What's your definition?
Boy, for my part, you did "take it wrong." I never commented on the spices you suggested, which are good. I was talking about a "perfect pizza sauce" in terms the tomato brand that you "suggested" would be the perfect tomato base to constitute a "perfect" sauce. And I think that it is perfectly proper for one to express a personal contrary opinion on such as long as it's properly done.
If you could peek into, as many have, the kitchen shelves of most of the pizzerias across the country, you would probably almost never see "Hunts," "Contadina", or the likes of even a Del Monte on their shelves. What would you see and why? You would see many of the styles of Stanislaus, Escalon, Pastenes, Full Red, San Marzano and others. Rich, flavorful, and tasty tomato products. Maybe your taste buds relative to tomatoes differs from many of those pizzerias. It's my experience that utilizing the Hunt's type of tomato products would be an extreme rarity at the great pizza places across America.
Try to tell the Pizzaiolo's at the new style Neapolitanish pizza places that they could substitute Hunts or Contadina and see their response. While they may prefer their specially sourced San Marzano's, they would still have great respect for the products from Stanislaus, Escalon and the others mentioned. Would they have such for the Hunts and like products? You know the answer.
If anyone should visit a pizzeria (in Philadelphia or elsewhere) and see Hunt's or Contadina sauce on their kitchen shelves, it would be my personal suggestion (just a suggestion) that you run fast away as you might get a better meal elsewhere. IMO. But different strokes for different folks.
Now regarding Norma's sauce approach, what I absolutely loved about her style was her realistic cooking approach in adding "a couple of cloves" of this, "part of" that, put in "some of" this and "some of" that, along with "you want to add a little" of this or "
about 1 tsp for your taste," etc. I'm sorry for any who don't like it, but that is a professional cook in my book. I know, I know, people want the exact dimensions of the rooms and need exact measurements. And I and Norma have to do that at alot of times. But nothing replaces the finger in the sauce to see if . . . . "
ummmm, that tastes good."
Steve, I had -- in many threads on this site -- put my various recipes (of sorts) for sauces that I've used (detailing all the ingredients). In none have I claimed to be perfect, but I thought pretty good and many thought so, too. But I'm not thin skinned. Do the search, check them out and take pot shots at them if you'd like. As I prefer, I generally don't say a quarter tsp of this and 2 Tbls of that, as I'm rarely inclined to do so. Some of this and some of that and tasting with your finger is -- like Frank Sinatra -- "my way."
But in the end, if the Hunt's or Contadina product is the "perfect" tomato base for your perfect pizza sauce and is what you and your family like, that's what's all important.
