Frequently Asked Questions

Who's Nonna? What does it mean?

Nonna means the boss in any Italian household kitchen. Seriously! Linguistically though, it means grandmother in Italian. Nonna Carolina is not only the Sauce Boss here at City Saucery, but also one of the co-founders. A native Calabrisella herself, Nonna brings her age old knowledge of recipes she grew up eating and cooking from her own nonna from Calabria, the southernmost and spiciest region in Italy.

Are Nonna's sauces just for pasta?

No! Nonna's Sauces are for any recipe that requires a tomato sauce or base. Naturally, any of Nonna's Sauces pair exceptionally well with pastas of most varieties, but they also compliment a number of fish, chicken, meats and veggie dishes. Go ahead, live on the culinary edge and cook a non-pasta dish using Nonna's Sauces from City Saucery. We have a number of easy & delicious ideas here on our recipes page. Cook one up, you're gonna love it.

Is it a Marinara /Puttanesca?

NO! NO! NO! We DO NOT jar Marinara or Puttanesca or Arrabiata or Fra Diavolo or Bolognese or Alla Vodka or Alfredo or Gravy. Nothing wrong with those, but here at City Saucery we're jarring tomato sauces with a unique twist in flavor profiles than the typical ones mentioned so we also gave them different names. We're jarring what Nonna would cook up for her own family. That's just how we roll.

Why Jersey Tomatoes?

Why not? They're one of the best tasting and sweetest tomatoes grown right here in the USA and as New York manufacturers, we want to keep it local. It minimizes our carbon footprint, supports regional agriculture and supports local farmers. Our tomatoes are ripened on the vine and packed fresh each harvest season, making them more nutritious and delicious. Ultimately, great ingredients help make our sauces taste so good. Nonna is very traditional with her cooking methods and prefers to keep it local/regional when selecting ingredients to cook with in her kitchen. (we also don't ever question Nonna!)  

Are Nonna's sauces VEGAN?

Yes. 100% Vegan. No meat or dairy at all. Also, Gluten Free. Only whole vegetables, fresh herbs and extra virgin olive oil are used to jar Nonna's tomato sauces.

How do you make Nonna's sauces taste so fresh?

By using only the freshest ingredients we can find locally/regionally. We also grow a lot of the fresh herbs/vegetables ourselves right here in NYC. We DO NOT use any dry, ground powders or watered-down tomato pastes like most sauces out there. We only use fresh ingredients because that is what tomato sauce should taste like: FRESH.

Do you use organic ingredients?

Yes we do, but you don't always need to when cooking. The local farms we work with, and from our very own Urban Garden, are 100% organic. We're just not certified yet. Check out www.ewg.org to find out the "dirty dozen" vs the "clean fifteen" and really get to know what's out there. Most of our ingredients are not on that "dirty dozen" list. Give us some time though and we will be certified organic. We're still growing and learning thanks to all of you!  

Are there any GMO's in City Saucery's sauces?

None. And we're currently in the process of getting certified as non-gmo from the Non-GMO Project. Go to nongmoproject.org to learn more.