Sauced

A storm forced an English merchant into a Sicilian port in 1773. The wine he discovered there ended up defining one of Italian America's most iconic dishes.
This week we trace Chicken Marsala from that shipwrecked merchant to the red sauce joints of New York, unpacking how a fortified wine became the backbone of a one-pan classic. We break down Marsala's DOC classifications, debate why pounding chicken is pointless, and make the case for three types of mushrooms — quartered, never sliced. Plus the cooking order most recipes get wrong.
The cocktail: an Italian Margarita — tequila, amaretto, citrus, and agave — built around the nutty, oxidized notes that bridge right back to the dish.
For the full recipes and more, become a premium subscriber at https://sauced.supercast.com/
Follow us on Instagram: @sauced.pod
Thanks to all of this week's partners:
Palomo Mezcal: https://pkgdgroup.com/post/palomo-who-we-are/
Underberg: https://underbergamerica.com/

Bouillabaisse might be the most argued-over dish in the French canon — and in 1980, a group of Marseille restaurateurs signed an actual charter to settle the debate. This week, we dig into the fisherman's stew that became a prince's feast: the origins on the rocky Calanques, the science behind that creamy golden broth (with no cream involved), and why your fishmonger matters more than any recipe.
We break down the fish categories you need, why oily fish is a dealbreaker, the role of pastis and saffron (including the three compounds that activate when you bloom it), and two approaches to rouille — the garlic-saffron sauce that ties the whole dish together.
The cocktail: The Mauresque — pastis, orgeat, and cold water. Simple, quenching, and straight from the south of France.
For the full recipes and more, become a premium subscriber at https://sauced.supercast.com/
Follow us on Instagram: @sauced.pod
Thanks to all of this week’s partners:
G4 Tequila: https://pkgdgroup.com/g4-tequila/
Underberg: https://underbergamerica.com/

A 1974 Italian cookbook, a Bologna nightclub, and a dish that earned the nickname "disco pasta" — Penne alla Vodka has no codified recipe, no agreed-upon ingredient list, and was once called "disgusting" by the president of the Italian Academy of Cuisine. So why does it persist?
This week, we're tracing the dish from its murky Italian origins to its Italian-American identity crisis — and devising our own version along the way. We break down why vodka, a flavorless spirit, actually extracts flavor compounds from tomatoes that water and fat can't reach, debate whether cream is a non-negotiable, and talk through why Carbone's famous Spicy Rigatoni skips the vodka entirely.
The cocktail: The Disco MiTo — vodka, Campari, Cocchi di Torino, orange bitters, lemon peel. A vodka riff on the Negroni, stirred and served up.
For the full recipes and more, become a premium subscriber at https://sauced.supercast.com/
Follow us on Instagram: @sauced.pod
Thanks to all of this week’s partners:
El Ateo Tequila: https://pkgdgroup.com/#our_brands/
Underberg: https://underbergamerica.com/

Once called the "soup of drunkards," French onion soup was born in the shadow of Les Halles — Paris's legendary night market — where butchers and aristocrats ate elbow to elbow at 3 AM. The original version? No booze at all.
This week, we're changing that. We commit to two versions of the recipe — one built on bourbon and dry French vermouth, the other on Cognac and Amontillado sherry. Along the way, we debate Jacques Pépin's 8-minute caramelization, break down why the Maillard reaction can't start until onions lose their 89% water content, and argue over whether Paul Bocuse — the chef of the century — was right to call the Les Halles version an "imitation."
The cocktail: The Gratinée — an Adonis riff with Amontillado sherry, Dolin Rouge, a barspoon of XO Cognac, and fresh thyme.
For the full recipes and more, become a premium subscriber at https://sauced.supercast.com/
Follow us on Instagram: @sauced.pod
Thanks to all of this week’s partners:
Asil Raicilla de la Sierra: https://pkgdgroup.com/#our_brands/
Underberg: https://underbergamerica.com/

A secret recipe, a snail shortage, and the richest man who ever lived — that's how Oysters Rockefeller came to be. This week, we're tracing the dish back to 1899 New Orleans and Antoine's, the oldest family-run restaurant in America, where Jules Alciatore swapped escargot for Gulf oysters and created something iconic.
We're committing to our own version of the secret recipe — compound butter loaded with spinach, herbs, and absinthe, spooned over plump Gulf oysters and finished under the broiler. Plus, Sother's East Coast vs. West Coast vs. Gulf oyster cheat sheet, the case for Panko over Italian breadcrumbs, and why you should always make more compound butter than you need.
The cocktail: The Obituary — a gin Martini laced with absinthe, born just down the street from Antoine's at Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop.
For the full recipes and more, become a premium subscriber at https://sauced.supercast.com/
Follow us on Instagram: @sauced.pod
Thanks to all of this week’s partners:
Mezcal Ultramundo: https://pkgdgroup.com/post/ultramundo/
Atheras Spirits: https://atherasspirits.com/
Underberg: https://underbergamerica.com/