What I’m talking about is something I had when I was visiting the northeast of the US, a business trip and I had some meatballs in spaghetti sauce as this little restaurant, a mom-and-pop kind of place. They were amazing, and although the ones I cooked last night were great, still not the same.

My spaghetti bolognese recipe, nearly got that right. This despite the fact I even have the same recipe as my mum used, still doesn’t taste the same as I remember it. I have now ditched the wine, the cinzano (she used cinzano though, not wine), and added mushrooms and I’m so very close.

I think I’ll still be another year before I get it right, another ten or so times to cook it to the point of where it’s the same as my memory reminds me.