Spaghetti and meatballs isn’t just an American invention. It has roots in Southern Italy’s Abruzzo region as spaghetti alla chitarra con pallottine. Here’s how Italian immigrants turned a humble family meal into the Italian-American classic we know today.

We call it “ugly” because we make upcycled tomato sauce. The tomatoes are not pretty, but they taste amazing. Our “Ugly” sauce uses upcycled tomatoes to fight food waste — and make your pasta proud — they’re bruised, overripe, and full of flavor.

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The traditional 'nduja was invented most likely around the time when Calabria was a Spanish dominion. 

I explained to my customer that I was not a farmer but a small producer who sources produce from a network of 23 + farms and coops directly. We take whatever they deem as "ugly" or "seconds" and cook, preserve and pickle them into a pantry product that can be enjoyed by customers year round.

Only three years ago this past weekend the Cooking Channel came to my house to shoot an episode of Not My Mama's Meals in my garden and kitchen.