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WinkyDink

(51,311 posts)

59. Have you been? I have, several times, the length and breadth. Italians do not heap large portions of

Fri Sep 19, 2014, 01:38 PM

Sep 2014

food on their plates, nor do they smother their pasta dishes in sauce. A little research would inform you that these are strictly Italian-American approaches to food.
"Don't Drown Pasta:
Never over sauce pasta. Italians complain that Americans drown their pasta in too much sauce. The Italians way is to toss pasta with just enough sauce to coat it without leaving a big puddle on the bottom of the plate."
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Pasta_Rice_Main/pasta.htm

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Olive Garden Has Middle-Class Problems [View all] babylonsister Sep 2014 OP

I'm Italian or at least 1/2 I learn to cook from watching my grandmother... Historic NY Sep 2014 #1

I am right with you on this one! strawberries Sep 2014 #4

I grew up in New Orleans Aerows Sep 2014 #19

I'm Sicilian And I Think You're Wrong ProfessorGAC Sep 2014 #34

Blah.......sauce or gravy. Historic NY Sep 2014 #44

Really? Drahthaardogs Sep 2014 #45

To Each His Own ProfessorGAC Sep 2014 #50

Food preservation is not "work" Drahthaardogs Sep 2014 #63

"Olive Garden is about as Italian as Taco Bell is Mexican." nomorenomore08 Sep 2014 #71

Oh, lordy lu, hifiguy Sep 2014 #53

I always laugh when I see food snobs. joeglow3 Sep 2014 #55

Italian food is peasant food. Drahthaardogs Sep 2014 #62

There are over 800 Olive Gardens, meaning MILLIONS like it. joeglow3 Sep 2014 #65

Million eat Taco Bell Drahthaardogs Sep 2014 #66

And you are better than those miilions as well... joeglow3 Sep 2014 #72

Oh well. Drahthaardogs Sep 2014 #73

Oh, I don't like Olive Garden joeglow3 Sep 2014 #75

I said it was prepared wrong. Drahthaardogs Sep 2014 #77

People flock to Taco Bell for inedible horse meat tacos as well. chrisa Sep 2014 #76

Ouch. Cha Sep 2014 #95

Critique of lackluster food isn't "snobbery," it's critique of lackluster food. Scootaloo Sep 2014 #80

Yeah biggest objection to olive garden is Arcanetrance Sep 2014 #94

We have lots of great Italian food in New Haven...it's heaven for foodies... CTyankee Sep 2014 #25

It was a sad day when our Italian Gardens restaraunt finally went down. It had really been great brewens Sep 2014 #78

Yup alcibiades_mystery Sep 2014 #11

i am not Italian but I adore good Italian food hifiguy Sep 2014 #16

When I was laid up in bed for six weeks with a back injury, closeupready Sep 2014 #21

ummmm strawberries Sep 2014 #24

It's from Craig Claiborne, longtime NYT food writer. hifiguy Sep 2014 #26

I am not Italian Aerows Sep 2014 #18

Every Italian person I have ever known has said very few nice things about Olive Garden. BlueJazz Sep 2014 #48

I love home-cooked Italian food. Quayblue Sep 2014 #49

I'm not Italian, but cwydro Sep 2014 #79

They also are horrible at responding to customer complaints ebbie15644 Sep 2014 #2

I complained via email Tree-Hugger Sep 2014 #64

"telegraphs a certain old-world charm" tabasco Sep 2014 #3

You would, if you were served much smaller portions and scant sauce. WinkyDink Sep 2014 #9

Yeah, those Italians really suck at making Italian food tabasco Sep 2014 #58

Have you been? I have, several times, the length and breadth. Italians do not heap large portions of WinkyDink Sep 2014 #59

There are also bad Italian restaurants in Italy. kwassa Sep 2014 #70

And that's exactly how sauces should be applied Silent3 Sep 2014 #82

THIS! I can't stand over sauced pasta. (My grandparents were Sicilian immigrants.) tblue37 Sep 2014 #83

Yeah, in Italy, the portions aren't huge, the wine is freaking awesome, and glowing Sep 2014 #84

I'm sure you're the only one here who's ever been to Italy. tabasco Sep 2014 #89

Then why were you complaining? n/t tabasco Sep 2014 #90

Ever seen actual bolognese sauce? Scootaloo Sep 2014 #81

Making a batch of homemade bolognese hifiguy Sep 2014 #91

Well....there is a Naples, Florida. Ikonoklast Sep 2014 #12

Naples, Florida, or Naples, Utah? NT politicat Sep 2014 #39

The larger problem is corp America pushes marketing over substance on point Sep 2014 #5

I recommend that anyone who wants to learn how to run a national chain restaurant Dreamer Tatum Sep 2014 #6

Real italian food is peasant food. Drahthaardogs Sep 2014 #46

Olive Garden has more problems with it's food oneshooter Sep 2014 #7

No, it feels like mall food and for about the same money you can eat at a real restaurant NightWatcher Sep 2014 #8

That's okay by me; I've never gone except as a travel rest-stop or a pre-concert meal. WinkyDink Sep 2014 #10

Waiting for the typical DU food snobs! "Low grade dog food" LOL nt Logical Sep 2014 #13

This message was self-deleted by its author Brigid Sep 2014 #42

But I hear it's a must-visit destination in Times Square NuclearDem Sep 2014 #14

Not sure it's still there, but I went there with a lady friend closeupready Sep 2014 #22

tsk tsk tsk peacefreak Sep 2014 #61

The hedge fund report is what passes for frat boy/MBA analysis, claptrap served up in PowerPoint greatlaurel Sep 2014 #15

You obviously didn't read the report. Or perhaps you WROTE IT Dreamer Tatum Sep 2014 #20

Nowhere in the entire power point silliness did I see them suggesting paying a living wage greatlaurel Sep 2014 #43

You didn't read it, and if you did, you're not equipped to understand it. Dreamer Tatum Sep 2014 #56

way too many mom and pop places in my corner of the world to go to the chains KG Sep 2014 #17

Breastfeeding and pit bulls are middle-class problems? KamaAina Sep 2014 #23

Yes!! Sparhawk60 Sep 2014 #28

Welcome to DU! KamaAina Sep 2014 #30

part Italian here Man from Pickens Sep 2014 #27

Don't lie, you know you go all the time The2ndWheel Sep 2014 #29

LOL Man from Pickens Sep 2014 #32

Almost every restaurant I have eaten pasta in makes their sauce way too sweet. It's nice to see that tblue37 Sep 2014 #85

Sugar is the American way Man from Pickens Sep 2014 #88

You get what you pay for tularetom Sep 2014 #31

I see what you're saying. xfundy Sep 2014 #33

i don't think it's all about money, things like Yelp and other internet sites JI7 Sep 2014 #35

Best Italian food you can get outside Italy, IMO. zappaman Sep 2014 #36

the problem with olive garden is they are too expensive for the type of food they serve JI7 Sep 2014 #37

There was a time... Xolodno Sep 2014 #38

Maybe I'm a snob, but I avoid chains at all cost. alarimer Sep 2014 #40

Best.Salad.Anywhere. Rhinodawg Sep 2014 #41

Meh Dirty Socialist Sep 2014 #47

Message auto-removed Name removed Sep 2014 #51

I take it the libraries are closed today? William769 Sep 2014 #52

Another factor: the rise of home semi-gourmet cooking Arugula Latte Sep 2014 #54

This. I can make better and more authentic hifiguy Sep 2014 #92

"the asparagus is too long" Enrique Sep 2014 #57

I'm really glad my palate is so unrefined steve2470 Sep 2014 #60

I completely agree. Union Scribe Sep 2014 #68

A "floury smudge of Alfredo sauce?" Flour in an Alfredo sauce???? markpkessinger Sep 2014 #67

Meatballs and spaghetti--my favorite meal. Kingofalldems Sep 2014 #69

A Point Missing Here Dirty Socialist Sep 2014 #74

HenrycFord's business plan included paying his workers enough that tblue37 Sep 2014 #86

Any restaurant chain that SheilaT Sep 2014 #87

I'm Italian and honesty my biggest objection to olive garden Arcanetrance Sep 2014 #93