March 29th 2026
Menu
It had been too long since we made red sauce. Criminal, really. So this week we corrected course with Sunday gravy, and Mark, as is tradition, couldn't leave well enough alone. New ratio. Smaller pot. Something about surface area and simmer physics. The verdict? A thicker, more tomato-forward sauce than we've ever made, tender sausages, melt-apart pork shoulder, and Grandma Lucille's meatballs doing what they always do.
Sunday Gravy
This version used less water, fewer cans of tomatoes, and a smaller pot. We also went with sweet Italian sausage instead of hot, used pork shoulder as our third meat, and of course, Grandma Lucille’s meatballs. We forgot to chill the meatballs in the fridge before frying and that was a mistake - the chill is absolutely necessary for the structural integrity of the meatballs when frying.
Big Rig Pasta & Sauce
Instead of trying to squeeze everything onto one tray (like we did here, and here) this time we decided to serve the meat and noodles separately - this made it easier to serve and allowed everyone to pick their ideal ratio! We used Mill Valley Pasta Company’s Big Rig noodles - a personal favorite for their texture and size.
Greek Salad
A thick red sauce, needs an acidic, brighter, side kick. I opted for a quick and easy Greek salad featuring cherry tomatoes, English cucumbers, Kalamata olives, red onions (washed to remove their bite) and feta. All topped with a basic vinaigrette (olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper).
Pastries from Quail & Condor
No homemade treats this week - instead I picked up a very random spread from one of my favorite bakeries in Northern California - Quail & Condor. The cinnamon buns were the size of panda’s face and the absolute best thing we ate. I will be dreaming about that frosting for long time!