I would looove to spend 6-8 hours every day in the kitchen with pots on the stove, making sauces from scratch (In fact, I'm so bent on cooking that I have a whole menu written for my one-day dream restaurant).

But let's be realistic - I'm a full-time freelance writer with 12 projects currently on the go and I need to make a good, healthy, tasty dinner quickly for my fella and I.

So when I stock my pantry of any kind of pre-made sauce, it's got to be top-notch - as a restaurant critic, it is hard for me to let go of assessing food for it's flavour profiles, texture, and everything I look for when I'm dining out for review. 

In other words, I'm a pretty tough customer.

Cortazzo Foods, a line of fresh, homemade sauces inspired by generations of Cortazzo family recipes and brought to us by Chef Scott Martino, make the grade.

What strikes me about these sauces is that the tomato-based ones - Arribbiata, Marinara and Pomodoro - burst forth with immense fresh, rich tomato flavour. The tomato isn't masked by other ingredients, but instead highlighted. The thick sauces really adhere to your pasta - they're not runny like most jarred sauces - and stand up against the thick carbs.

And most interestingly, Chef Martino offers two sauces that are not Italian at all, and are perhaps the most fun of the bunch. 

Awesome in a Jar is a wonderfully tangy barbecue sauce that is perfect for grilling season. It has just a hint of heat (chili powder) and sweetness (honey, brown sugar and pineapple juice) and again, Chef knows his textures, as you can brush it onto your ribs or top your burger with it and the consistency is perfect. 

Carolina Peakes is a fascinating sauce with a grainy texture, made with mustard and vinegar, that will transform your food. Slather it on your chicken and broil your veggies with it - zesty and vinegary, it takes your food to a whole other level.

What's most remarkable about these jarred sauces is the amount of flavour packed into 'em, while using only whole, natural ingredients, with no preservatives or trans fats.

Sure you can spend hours slaving at the stove, peeling and deseeding tomatoes, reducing ingredients down for your sauce. But why when you've got Chef Martino and Cortazzo Foods at your side?

Shop Cortazzo Foods now.