First time for this pizza (edit: and also pasta sauce)

[wtg]

Saw that Mezzetta has a pasta sauce. Not sure if I've missed it in the past or if they are just getting into the marinara business. I love their pickled products - olives, peppers, etc.

Bought the marinara and tomato basil. The marinara is very good. I usually buy Rao's, but the Mezzetta is half the price. Could become our new "house brand".

https://www.mezzetta.com/pages/pasta-sauce

Would like to find the wild mushroom sauce; they didn't have it at Meijer. And the truffle, porcini, and cream version, which is one of their premium sauces and a bit more expensive.

[Mik]

Yep. I tried Mezzetta’s marinara a couple weeks ago. Best fresh tomato flavor ever in a jar. Our new go to. I like their olives etc too.

[Steve Miller]

Their Caesar dressing is good too.

[wtg]

Maybe that’s Marzetti rather than Mezzetta?

[Steve Miller]

@wtg Dunno.

They all look the same to me.

[ShiroKuro]

@wtg said in First time for this pizza (edit: and also pasta sauce):

a sausage and giardiniera pizza.

Ohhh that sounds yummy!! Where did you buy it (like, not Costco hopefully, becaus we don’t have one near here)

Re Mezzetta’s, I recognize that label, I’ll have to compare prices with Rao’s. Mezzetta’s seems to have similar offerings (although I notice their roasted garlic includes onions, Rao’s doesn’t. I prefer no onions).

[wtg]

Not Costco for the pizza. JewelOsco.

Corner Booth has a store finder on its website,

Rao’s is usually $8 or more a jar unless it’s on sale or I get it at Costco. The Mezzetta at Meijer is usually $4.29, on sale for $3.49

[ShiroKuro]

Wow, that’s expensive for Rao’s, it’s closer to $6 down here. But I just checked, and they have Mezzetta’s at the local Walmart. It’s $3.98! We’ll definitely try it.

Corner Booth shows no stores in our town. Too bad!

[wtg]

Rao's hasn't been anywhere near $6 since well before the pandemic. There used to be a Fresh Thyme nearby that had a nice selection of the various flavors.

Meijer has Rao's for $7.29, but I don't normally shop at there; I stopped in while Mr wtg was in PT at the hospital, which is not too far away.

I checked for Mezzetta at a nearby Walmart, and they don't stock it.

If I want some of the more "exotic" flavors I suspect I'll have to mail order from Mezzetta.

[Mik]

Looked last night. Their shipping charges are outrageous. $9 sauce, $30 shipping. Might as well buy a case of 6 from Walmart for $60.

[wtg]

@Mik Thanks for the heads up on Walmart. I really would like to try the porcini sauce.

Too bad we don't live closer to each other. We could split a case of something we both want to try....

[ShiroKuro]

These price differences are crazy. The last time I bought Rao's, it was something like 6.49, now it's 6.88. That's still way more than Mezzetta's of course.

Oh and these are Walmart prices, Kroger is about $1.00 more.

I sometimes mix different Rao sauces together, maybe I'll get Mezzetta's sensitive and mix with Rao's roasted garlic...

[Big_Al]

The Mezzetta's sauce is 2 for $6.28 at the local Giant Eagle. Might give it a try. Usually, we buy a sauce branded for and sold by the local Italian market near us.

I had only associated Mezzetta's with pickled products like peppers and jalapenos. I never thought of looking for that brand in the sauce department.

I'm not sure why you thought the gardeniera might make the pizza oily. The gardeniera I know is pickled in brine and there is no oil involved.

The nearest Corner Booth pizza to me is in Ohio.

Big Al

[wtg]

@Big_Al said in First time for this pizza (edit: and also pasta sauce):

I'm not sure why you thought the gardeniera might make the pizza oily.

Pretty much all I've ever had is Chicago-style, packed in oil rather than vinegar.

https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/giardiniera/

[Big_Al]

That's interesting. Here is the nutrition label for the local brand Bell-View that I usually buy.

Quite a different product with the same name.

Big Al

[wtg]

Of course in Chicago we also eat our hot dogs with neon relish. This is as close as I could get as far as color is concerned; it's even more shocking in real life.

[Steve Miller]

I love that relish! Now to find sport peppers…

[wtg]

Vienna brand sport peppers are the best. Accept no substitutes.

[wtg]

DIY hot dog kit.

https://www.viennabeef.com/natural-casing-chicago-style-hot-dog-kit/

Also looks like Heinen's carries Vienna products...

[wtg]

@wtg said in First time for this pizza (edit: and also pasta sauce):

Would like to find the wild mushroom sauce; they didn't have it at Meijer. And the truffle, porcini, and cream version, which is one of their premium sauces and a bit more expensive.

Found the truffle, porcini, and cream Mezzetta sauce. It was not bad but I wasn't totally blown away by it. Mr wtg isn't big on truffles, so it's just me who is eating it. Probably not a repeat.

On the frozen pizza front, if you are a fan of Sicilian style pizza (thicker but very airy and crispy crust, not doughy like deep dish), check out Massa brand pizzas, made by a local Chicago place.

Available through a bunch of local grocers here in Chicago. Nationally through Gordon Food Service.

https://www.massapizzaco.com/stores

We bought one of the limited edition pizzas at our local Kroger store, one with Italian beef and giardiniera on it. we’ve previously had the roasted veggie and the Margherita.