Sourcing Locally
Nonna cooking up a storm at the Saucery
It's that time of year again when we here at the Saucery begin drowning in tomatoes. Lots and lots of tomatoes! Despite some stores already promoting Halloween (good lord!), tomato season is just beginning its peak here in the North East.
Starting this week alone we're getting our first big shipment of over 1000 pounds of ugly yellow organic tomatoes grown just a few hours north of NYC. We'll also be cooking and canning these jewels well into the weekend.
As some of you already know, our sauces are 100% locally sourced and made. We do not use any imported tomatoes like most pasta sauce brands. Tomatoes grown in Italy are fabulous but the North East grows some fantastic varieties of its own. If you've had any of our sauces, then you've also enjoyed 100% local tomatoes. Did you love that jar of sauce you just ordered online or picked up? That jar is filled with tomatoes from PA, NJ, NY, CT, MA, VT. So, that same jar of sauce that put a big smile on your face is proof local tomatoes not only taste great but also help stir up our local economy since we only work with local farms, hire local help and produce our products, locally! You know what they say: the proof is in the pudding.
We have spent the last 9 years building our own supply chain of 29 farms between Pennsylvania and Vermont and by the end of this season our supply chain will increase to 31 farms. It hasn't been easy but it's so rewarding to be able to cook with these local tomatoes for all of our products. Why source overseas when farms right here are growing delicious varieties we can use for cooking and canning?
Sourcing locally has always been our philosophy. It’s also the main reason why we partnered with Grow NYC.
Their philosophy of supporting local agriculture is very much in line with our own which is what makes it a great farmers’ market experience. In our 9 years of producing sauces and condiments, we have worked with all the food markets (big and small) throughout New York City. All of them! We only ever partnered with one other food market who lived and breathed by the source local philosophy and that was New Amsterdam Market (also one of the most civilized food markets). Unfortunately, NAM is no longer with us but thankfully Grow NYC still is and has given us the platform to promote our locally sourced values.
Preparing to roast 500 lb of Yellow Rave tomatoes
The Local Difference
I’ve been asked many times what’s the difference between my sauces and Rao’s (you know, that pricey sauce in every grocery store with an image of its namesake restaurant) . My answer’s simple: we only use 100% local tomatoes and we actually produce our own products right here in New York City. No offense to Rao’s, but the only local thing about those guys is their restaurant’s address. Why it’s considered a premium sauce is probably because it’s next to impossible to score a reservation at the red sauce joint unless, of course, you’re Martin Scorsese.
All this said, support and shop local.