Finding a Winner

I am not really a picky eater overall, but I seriously dislike tomatoes. Cooked or raw, whole or diced, fresh or sun-dried, I just can't stomach them. I find something off-putting about the taste and the texture. I don't like it when they are in something; I end up picking them out or eating around them. Plus, I don't like the seeds or the juice touching my food. I realize that plenty of people like tomatoes, and I am an anomaly so I try not to get too over the top about it.

(Major pet peeve: when an adult doesn't enjoy eating something and refers to it as "disgusting". Well, it might be to you, but others may enjoy it, so saying it is "disgusting" is rude. If prompted to discuss something you don't like to eat, it is much better to say that you "don't care for it" or you "would prefer not to eat it". Saying something is "disgusting" makes you sound ridiculous, and you can end up insulting someone.)

So, despite this deep rooted preference for no tomatoes in my life, I actually do like both Heinz Ketchup and tomato sauce. I am extremely picky about my tomato sauces, especially on pasta. No hunks, not too garlicky, not too sweet or cheesy. For a long time, I was using Hunt's tomato sauce (just tomatoes completely pureed) and doctoring it up by adding red pepper and Italian spices. But it really wasn't "doing it" for me; the sauce was too bland and on the runny side, which meant I would get it all over me any time I had it for dinner.

However, thanks to a special that Star Market was running (and a recommendation from Sister K), I ended up picking up some Bertolli spaghetti sauce (I already liked their three cheese tortellini and their olive oil), and I *think* that I might have found my ideal sauce. I bought the Bertolli Vineyard Marinara with Burgundy Wine. There are very few chunks, but the sauce isn't runny like Hunt's. The flavor is fresh, but subtle, and the burgundy gives it a little bit of a kick, which I enjoy. (I prefer a savory to a sweet sauce.) It smelled really good when I was warming it up on the stove, and the color looked like fresh tomatoes (a rich red, rather than the orangey brown you can get in some jarred sauce.)

I ended up combining the sauce with some fettuccine (sadly, not homemade) the other night for dinner, adding just some sea salt, black pepper and shaved Wisconsin parmesan on top with a small salad for a delicious and filling meal. It may seem like such a small thing to be excited about, but I have been searching for a spaghetti sauce that meets my taste for years. When you find something you like, it is good to let other people know about it, and this sauce is something I really like.