Paul's Homemade Ragu Sauce Story

by Paul
(United States)

Dear Attilio,

I took another look at your recipes on the web site, and I think my friend may have been describing Ragu Sauce.

There is a brand of bottled sauces here called "Ragu".

What does the word Ragu mean in Italian?

I did not mention before that I was in Italy twice, in 1964 and 1966. In 1964 I went on a trip with a group of young people from my church, led by our minister, with three other adults.

We flew from New York to Southern California, then to Hawaii, Fiji, Australia, Taiwan, Thailand, India, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Greece, Italy and on to France, England and Scotland before going back to the U.S.

I loved Rome, and wished we had more time there.

We had group rates on the planes, and in many countries the people took us into their homes. Two years later, a smaller group, seven young people and one adult, again took a trip. Someone paid my way this time, because my parents could not afford it.

We sailed to Germany, landing in Hamburg, and stayed in an orphanage there. Then we took a boat inland on the Rhine river, before taking a train through Switzerland to Torino. We went to a camp in the alps run by a religious group called the Waldensians.

There were young Italians, of course, two Germans, a young woman from Sweden and an American exchange student who had stayed with her family the previous year. We had a great time together. Again two days for Rome, two for Paris, and London and Edinburgh. I wish I could take a trip like that today!

I will cook some Homemade Ragu Sauce as soon as I have the ingredients.

Again, thank you.
Paul