Weaknesses come in all shapes and sizes. One of my biggest is an inability to turn down a meal at a red sauce joint. My fondness for Italian-American food probably has roots that Freud would love to explore – especially since neither side of my family is Italian. If I had to guess, I'd venture that some of my attraction comes from the cuisine's unusual status as a true hybrid, and a fairly equal one.

Think about it: Without tomatoes and peppers (not to mention winter-hardy wheat) from the Americas, combined with medieval Italian olive oil and cheesemaking traditions, even a simple bowl of spaghetti in marinara sauce would be impossible. Red sauce Italian gets a lot of criticism for being a culinary mongrel that neither country wants to own, but when it's done well, it shows how special a flavor-driven, mix-and-match approach can be.

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Source: http://www.pressherald.com/