Once in a long while, a book comes along and immediately qualifies as a “must have” in the Italian American home library. In Red Sauce: How Italian Food Became American, author Ian MacAllen has created one of those books!

In this rollicking two-part episode, we’re joined by this proud Italian American writer as he leads us in an exploration of the evolution of traditional Italian American cuisine, lovingly referred to as “Red Sauce Italian,” from its origins in Italy to its transformation in America into a new, distinct, and wildly popular cuisine.