Last month I mentioned that probably 75 percent of Auburn Italians made their meatballs the same basic way. That may have been wrong. I visited a friend in Florida recently who married an Italian from Ohio. After reading my article, she said “I was wrong to write down your recipe and try making them but that's exactly the same way I was taught by my mother-in-law.” So the percentage may be closer to 90 percent. However, with sauce to cover the meatballs and pasta, it seems practically no two people make it the same. The recipes are as different as the personalities of the folks that make them.

For red sauces, I've heard of using everything from sugar to catsup to take the bitterness/acidity out of the tomatoes. My mother used carrots and meats that were still on the bone.

The marrow from the bones, as well as the meat would add such a wonderful, full flavor that I can still taste on my mind's palate the richness. She did not cook it for 10 or 12 hours like some people - said too much time on the stove cooked the flavor right out.

One of my favorite pleasures from good food comes from the aroma. I used to go to a quaint little restaurant in Syracuse called Mario's Piccolo Bistro. It was down in the basement of a building, around in the back by the parking lot. My girlfriend and I would get out of the car and be greeted by the unmistakable smells of Italy; garlic being sauteed in pure olive oil and the same few herbs that are predominant in most Mediterranean dishes including basil, rosemary, oregano, parsley and Pecorino romano or reggiano parmigiano cheese.

Like a bouquet of fresh flowers, we would enjoy scents coming off the stove, filling the air and greeting us before we even got into the door.

Good sauces taste good. Great sauces please you before they even reach your palate with a fragrance that begins to satisfy before the first bite. Even mediocre spaghetti can taste first-rate when covered with a noble sauce, but I always purchase the best quality imported pasta, made with wheat semolina, that I can find - DeCecco is my favorite. Delverde is also excellent.

Next month, I will plan to discuss my thoughts on cooking macaroni. Believe me, when you are raised eating some form of pasta combination three or four times a week and every Sunday, you become an expert.

Part of our heritage is learning how to pay attention to little methods of making it as good as it can be while combining it with great sauces, often made on a limited budget. But this month, due to space limitations, only a couple of different red sauces are presented.

Red Clam Sauce

4 cloves chopped garlic

1 medium chopped onion

1 pound capellini

1 dozen clams, shucked and cut into small pieces

8 ounces drained and diced peeled plum tomatoes, pepper, and salt

2 chopped shallots

6 quarts cold water

1/2 cup olive oil

In a skillet, saute the garlic, shallots and onion in the oil over low heat. When they are translucent, add clams and mix well. Next add the diced tomatoes, season to taste and cook for approximately five minutes.

Put 6 quarts of water in a large pot. Add 2 tablespoons of salt to water and cover until the water comes to a rolling boil. Put in pasta and cook uncovered for two minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Drain, but save some of the cooking water. Put pasta in serving bowl and pour sauce over the top immediately and mix. If the sauce is too thick add just a little bit of the reserved liquid and mix again.

A lot of people will tell you not to use cheese with your pasta when it's a fish sauce. I say, put grated or shaved Pecorino romano cheese on top before serving, if you like it that way. There is no reason why you should listen to anyone other than your own family, when it comes to how you season your food. Our family prefers romano cheese. Perhaps your's likes parmigiano better. It's really what you get used to and what you like.

Mom's Tomato Meat Sauce:

2 pounds meat (meatballs, braciole, pieces of beef, pork or any combination of these items)

1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil

3 or 4 cloves minced garlic

1 to 28 ounce-can crushed tomatoes

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 whole minced onion

3 or 4 sprigs fresh Italian minced parsley

1 or 11/2 tablespoons salt

1 6 ounce can tomato paste

2 or 3 cans water (use both cans and take cold water to rinse the remaining tomatoes or paste from the cans and pour it into the sauce a little at a time as needed - to taste.

Heat oil in a large pan and brown the meat on all sides. When meat is browned, add chopped onions and fry until translucent. Add garlic and parsley and fry for about 20 or 30 seconds, stirring constantly - do not allow to burn. Add crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, uncovered, for about half and hour.

Add tomato paste. Then fill the tomato paste can and crushed tomato cans with water two or three times and try to pick up the residue that is still left in the cans and pour it into the sauce. Stir well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and continue cooking for a couple of hours more, stirring constantly.

Serve over your favorite cooked spaghetti. This sauce is enough for 1 or 1 1/2 pounds of macaroni, depending on the type used - thinner styles like capellini, angel hair and linguine use more sauce than thicker types like fettuccini. Tomato sauce, with or without meat, freezes well so if you have some left over, save it for another occasion.

Bob Leonardi, of Auburn, ran a successful restaurant business, catering, and gourmet food store in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., for 15 years