So I tried vodka sauce...

[Cluricaun]

@Whifton_Polekitty

Not to mention the Jim Beam crap. I made the mistake of buying a hot sauce ostensibly made with Jim Beam. This seemed like a match made in heaven (or nearest local divine sanctuary available). What it was was the most insipid, musty, vapid, mingey excuse for a sauce I’d ever had. No flavor balance, no FLAVOR really, in fact… Most disappointing.

I’m in 100% agreement with you. Both Beam and Jack have licensed their names and logos for countless products, from marinades to hot sauces to maple syrup and even charcoal. All it seems to be is an exploitation of brand loyalty, as none of the products really make use of the flavor potential that cooking or flavoring with whiskey/bourbon can do. It’s all about the name and the logo on the package, and it’s sad. However it again seems a continuation of the attitudes displayed by the company now owning the Jack Daniels brand, as argued in this thread

[Ponder_Stibbons]

@honeydewgrrl

I don’t care much for traditional red sauces, and I’m trying to be “good” and not use alfredo sauce on all of my pasta, so it seemed like vodka sauce looked like a good compromise.

Well, there are many, many alternatives in the Great Wide World of Pasta. What is it about red sauces you don’t like? If we have an idea what you like and don’t like, we could probably do a little better with the ol’ suggesterizing. Uh, suggestazing. I mean sugar … oh never mind.

[ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies]

Went out for drinks with some coworkers last night, and it turns out Polly was a restauranteur with an Italian restaurant in a former life. One of her favorite items on the menu was bowtie pasta with vodka sauce. Once she heard of my plight, she insisted that she would give me the recipe and that I must try it.

Regarding my red sauce (or lack thereof) preferences…

I just generally don’t enjoy the flavor of warm or cooked tomato, be it sauces, soups, or even a fresh slice of uncooked tomato that is heated up via proximity in a hot sandwich. I’m not exactly sure what biochemically may or may not occure with respect to pH and such, but cooked tomato tastes too “acidic” for lack of a better word.

I LOVE fresh tomatoes, however, in pretty much any way shape or form, and for whatever reason, sun-warmed tomatoes from the vine and sun-dried tomatoes are somehow exempt from my fickle tastes, and I quite enjoy them.

[NailBunny]

How about cappelinni pomodoro? Saute generous amount of garlic in generous amount of olive oil until it just begins to brown - toss with pasta, pine nuts and fresh chopped Roma tomatoes, grate some parmesean or romano over it and garnish with a basil leaf or two if you feel like gettin’ fancy. Has fresh tomatoes and is also not as unhealthy as alfredo (yeah, so, olive oil is high in fat, but it’s good fat! :D).

Tasty.

[wonky]

Vodka sauces can have a heavy, dull taste.

If you don’t like tomato based sauces, consider pesto or clam sauce.

Unfortunately, marinara and the like are the healthiest sauces.

[The_Big_Cheese]

@honeydewgrrl

I’m not exactly sure what biochemically may or may not occure with respect to pH and such, but cooked tomato tastes too “acidic” for lack of a better word.

Use a little sugar when you make it, it cuts the acidity.

[Cluricaun]

@jsgoddess

If you don’t like tomato based sauces, consider pesto or clam sauce.

Of course she’s kidding about the clam sauce. You should never actually eat clam sauce. It was invented as a practical joke by ancient Italian practical jokesters. Just as someone would sit down to a nice meal of pasta and white sauce, the jokesters would swap out the alfredo with the clam sauce, and the unsuspecting diner would grab a forkful, taste, and shriek (in ancient Italian of course,) WHAT is this?!? CLAMS?! Oh, you got me……and everyone would have a good laugh.