Mother Sauce

Mother Sauce celebrates the roots of Italian-American cooking and the women who made it iconic. In this warm, richly told collection, Lucinda Scala Quinn shares 100 beloved recipes that define a century of family tables, neighborhood restaurants, and Sunday suppers.

From baked ziti bubbling with cheese to chicken Marsala, sausage and pepper hoagies, and golden cannolis, these are the dishes that shaped Italian-American food culture—and they all begin with the wisdom and resourcefulness of nonnas and mammas who cooked with love, even in the toughest times.

Alongside mouthwatering recipes, Mother Sauce includes archival photographs, ingredient notes, and cultural essays that honor the real history behind the food. Equal parts tribute and practical kitchen guide, it’s a book that brings red-sauce classics into today’s home kitchens while keeping their stories alive.

*QB Cookbook Club Pick: This book was chosen for our May-June 2026 Italian cookbook club selection, where we’ll cook 1 recipe each week from the book. Learn more about the QB Cookbook Club.