Red Gold vrs. Cento Crushed Tomatoes

[LeeB]

I have tried the Red Gold a while back and liked the taste of these tomatoes when making the sauce.  I'm still trying the different brands that I can get locally in the D/FW area.  I have noticed the Cento brand in most of the stores, anyone have any feedback as to their quality and taste?  I believe both brands are grown and packaged in the midwest area of the states.

[Pete-zza]

LeeB,

You might want to check again on the origin of the Cento tomatoes. If they are the ones in the can with the yellow label, I am fairly certain they are imported from Italy. You usually have to get on your hands and knees on the floor of the supermarket to find them. The Cento tomatoes can be San Marzanos, including the DOPs. My daughter-in-law tried the Cento DOP San Marzano tomatoes and said they were good. I believe Jeff Varasano also uses the Centos, but I don't know what specific tomatoes he uses. It could be something other than the San Marzanos.

Peter

[varasano]

I only saw the Cento San Marzano once. I use cento whole peeled from italy.

I have a can of Sclafani DOP San Marzano and some Bella Rosa, but I'm not sold on these

[vitoduke]

I was able to find Cento San Marzano DOP tomatoes in an Italian Deli in Irvine Ca. last week . I'm going to try them out this weekend. I now have tomatoes from Southern Cal--KASL from Vermont-- IDY from Utah-- and Grande Mozz from Wisconsin. My wife thinks I have way to much free time.

[LeeB]

I have actually seen the Cento in quite a few stores but didn't pay too much attention to them.  So far I have tried the following crushed tomatoes:

Contadina - didn't really stand out
Progresso - Real good taste
Red Gold - from what I remember, this sauce was good

So it's down to trying the Cento crushed (yellow lable) or the San Marzano ( red/white lable).

I actually saw the San Marzano brand in a new Kroger in Frisco, were they DOP, I don't know how to tell that.

[Pete-zza]

The way you can tell whether the San Marzanos are the DOPs is to look at the label. To be DOPs, the tomatoes must be grown in a certain region and the label must bear the designation "D.O.P." and a serial number. The region on the label that you may see is Agro Sarnese-Nocerino.

Be careful about the tomatoes in the can with the red/white label. If they are the ones I am thinking of, they are not the real San Marzano tomatoes but rather tomatoes grown in the U.S. from San Marzano seeds. They are among the worst canned tomatoes I have ever eaten. And they are often sold at prices not much different from the real thing. Even Central Market in Dallas sells them. They should know better. The tomatoes I have in mind in the red/white label are distributed by a company by the name of SiLtd, in N.J. The label shows plum tomatoes around the can with Italian words. To see a photo of the can, go to ethnicgrocer.com and put the words "San Marzano" in the search box.

Peter

[LeeB]

Peter,

Glad you sent me to that website because the ones I saw at Kroger looked like the ones at Central Market, almost like a campbell soup label of sorts.  Well more than likely I will try the Cento brand this weekend and I should be closer to finalizing my sauce recipe.  In trying the different brands, I have kept the seasonings constant so not to induce any other variable in making the proper tomatoe brand selection.

Thanks,
Lee

[joe]

Cento is the best...PERIOD.  No perservatives...just tomatoes in a can.

[Arthur]

The way you can tell whether the San Marzanos are the DOPs is to look at the label. To be DOPs, the tomatoes must be grown in a certain region and the label must bear the designation "D.O.P." and a serial number. The region on the label that you may see is Agro Sarnese-Nocerino.

Peter,  thanks for the information.  I have been totally frustrated about this.  Last year I bought many cans of Vantia after seeing the cans at DiFara's (even though he mixes it with homegrown tomatoes).   I took me a long time to figure out that my cans were different (after seeing pftaylor's pictures from di-fara's with the cans clearly marked with DOP and mine weren't).  I'm now waiting for some DOP vantia to come to me from New York.   
I recently went to several upscale stores in my area looking for san marzano tomatoes.  One store has 3 or 4 different brands that said san marzano including the one you mention in this post that is grown in california.  None of the cans had the DOP designation with a serial number - and some of them were $$$.  What a scam!

Anyway, besides my Vantia I'm waiting for the patsy's cans to come in as well.  I'll let everyone know what's written on those cans.

Arthur.