It's a New York/New Jersey/Connecticut thing, Oli. And one of the dumbest arguments in the history of the world. I love it when someone says, "No REAL Italian calls it gravy." Meanwhile, the moron saying it was born in White Plains. See the irony?

We always called it gravy if it had meat in it, sauce if it was just a basic marinara (garlic, olive oil, tomatoes and spices). And another thing, calling pasta macaroni was completely acceptable if not the norm when I was a kid. It's these idiot "foodies" who think they know everything about everything because they watch Mario Batali every day who start these silly arguments.

Oh, as an aside: Mario Batali, who would have you believe that he invented all things Italian, is of only half-Italian descent. His Mother is French Canadian, and his great, great grandparents on his father's side arrived here in the 1880's. Which makes him something like fourth generation Italian-American on one side of his family. Plus, he grew up in the Pacific Northwest. Point being, Batali has as much to do with the New York City "Italian-American Experience" as Osama bin Laden had to do with a Seder table.

Talented guy, no doubt about that. But if it wasn't for a chance encounter with the Bastianich family, he'd still be working the saute station in a forty seat restaurant downtown. Either that or he'd be back in Seattle smoking pot 24/7.