Thanks so much for the response and enlightenment.
I was thinking strictly in a Jersey City vein. Sometimes locality is an all.
We all grew up hearing pasta fazool for pasta fagioli as well.
Such is life.

Sure, and the book addresses the nomenclature. It actually just depended on where you settled and where you came from and how it translated. Gravy could mean all tomato sauce, it could mean the sauce on Sunday, or it may not have been a word used in that particular area. You probably know what sneakers, shopping bags, and soda are because you're from New Jersey, but in the midwest those would be tennis shoes, sacks, and pop.

I grew up Jersey City Italian in the fifties.

In our house it was always called gravy.

I don't know when this sauce stuff came around.

The Jersey City Times did a great write up. Thanks to Andrea Crowley-Hughes for the great conversation!

https://jcitytimes.com/is-chicken-and- ... ew-book-offers-an-answer/

Anyway, the RED SAUCE event is happening tonight at WORD at 7pm at Hamilton Park.

Hello JCList!

It's been a while since I've been on this board. It's been a while since I've lived in Jersey City, to be honest.

Some of the long time JCListers might remember me as the editor of the original Jersey City real estate blog, NewYorksSixth.com.

I'll be back in Jersey City next week to read and discuss my recently published book, Red Sauce: How Italian Food Became American.

In Red Sauce, I explore the history and origins of Italian American dishes like veal parmigiana and penne alla vodka.

RED SAUCE: HOW ITALIAN FOOD BECAME AMERICAN
WORD Bookstore
Wednesday, May 11
7 pm

WORD RSVP / Info:
https://shop.wordbookstores.com/event/word-presents-ian-macallen

Please note that WORD has recently located from Newark Avenue to Hamilton Park.

Also if you want to know more about the book, check out the information here:
https://www.redsauceamerica.com/book.htm