FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: The color has changed - why is the Marinara Sauce different from the old orange color?

A: Freezing this product renders a deeper color because at the restaurant the sauces were thickened with flour. Since flour coagulates in a frozen state, a different thickening agent is used instead, which doesn't lighten the finished product as before. The different thickening agent does not change the taste of the sauce. It's like thickening beef gravy with cornstarch instead of flour.

Q: Why doesn't the Brown Sauce taste the same as I remember?

A: The sauces being sold today are based on the original recipes written by Mario Brigotti in 1927. However, when making sauces at the NYSH, the daily fare depended on the particular cook, his interpretation of the recipe and, oddly, the size of his hands. Being European, head chefs in the NYSH historically measured ingredients by handfuls and pinches. Now, the commercial production of our sauces in a frozen state is precisely calculated and consistent. Therefore, with the use of a different thickening agent and a precise formula, the Brigotti family is completely satisfied that the essence of the NYSH is preserved.

An interesting observation: pasta dishes at the NYSH were served to you by long standing professional waiters on red checkered tablecloths in a Continental atmosphere. Now, the pasta dish is cooked and served within your home. The question is this: when the ambience is different, does it effect the taste and the appearance of the dish as you once knew it? Here is an idea to consider: the NYSH transferred sauce from the E 9th St restaurant to the Westlake location - literally taking it from the pots downtown and driving it west - and some people would remark, "It's not the same as downtown."

Q: Why are the sauces frozen, instead of jarred or canned?

A: Products maintain their color and taste integrity far better when prepared frozen, because they can be processed at a lower temperature than if jarred or canned. Also, according to FDA regulations, the high meat content in the Brown Sauce and in the Romana Sauce dictates that they may not be jarred.

Q: If the Brown Sauce is a meat sauce, where's the meat?

A: A large quantity of meat is contained in this sauce. In staying with the traditional texture, it is ground to nearly a pureed consistency. In the early days, and until very recent time, meat at the New York Spaghetti House was purchased in whole pieces and cut into servings by the head chef. Then, the extra pieces of the leg of lamb, the fillet of beef, the leg of veal, and the pork that were not suitable for a required portion on an entrée were ground together finely and went into making the brown sauce. Today, only high quality beef and pork are used and, staying true to the original recipe, it too is ground very fine into a pureed consistency after it has been cooked with the some spices, onion, garlic and a small dash of red wine vinegar.

Q: I don't live in the Cleveland area. Is there any way I can get NYSH sauces?

A: People have reported that the sauces shipped UPS OVER NIGHT arrived still frozen. Additionally, the Director of Product Development at J.E.S. Foods (Ted Skapura) assures us that the product can be refrozen. Please email us to request further details.

Q: Why call it "The New York Spaghetti House" if it's a Cleveland restaurant?

A: You'll have to read our history to find out!

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