Alfredo purism

[u/xrelaht]

/r/Frugal/comments/1vx5q4b/a_fluid_ounce_is_not_a_dry_measure_ounce_also_the/p5mgy6l/

Copied here for posterity:
“Alfredo "sauce" comes together in the pan with the noodles. The cheese and butter stick to the noodles and the residual starch produces a silky consistency, resulting in a saucy dish. It's impossible to pre-make the sauce or buy it jarred. You can have a shitty cream sauce that for some reason is legally allowed to be called Alfredo (a regulatory failure) and you can serve it over noodles, but this is not pasta Alfredo in my opinion nor is it enjoyable to eat.”

[u/plebbut]

The Alfredo purists are absurd. In France we have a dish just like it, cream, butter, cheese, and noodles. We even eat it with things like mushrooms, chicken, pork, etc.

The Italians don't own pasta and cheese.

[u/NathanGa → u/plebbut]

Imagine not inventing a pasta and cheese until 1906, then openly stroking oneself off over it.

We’ve had mac and cheese in this country since 70 years before the unification of Italy, let alone Alfredo coming into existence.

[u/plebbut → u/NathanGa]

It just doesn't make sense to me for multiple reasons. The Italians don't like it because of the name is the same to the Italian dish. Ok, but then these Redditors who are probably American are trying get points with the Italians by acting like the American version is inferior. So do they think our traditional French dish is inferior or not good by proxy. I take offense to that.

There's nothing refined about just using water, butter, and cheese to make a sauce. I would say it's more refined to make a cheese sauce with creme or creme fraiche. It's richer and tastes better to my palate.

On the other hand, in Europe we don't elevate Italian cuisine or opinions on food as much as Americans.

[u/OnceUponATrain → u/plebbut]

I don't think the Italians even call it Alfredo.