Canned tomatoes, don't buy the hype.

[buceriasdon]

I know this is off topic, but being a bamboo snob, would you happen to know any source for cut lengths of iron bamboo? It's grown here in Mexico but the minimun order is way too many poles.
TIA, Don

Do not take me wrong.  I grow many things, peppers, herbs, flowers, and bamboo (I am a Bamboo snob).  However, I am also cognizant of the economics of the thing.  Grow tomatoes or jalapenos?!  It makes no sense, since they are so cheap to buy local and organic. 

I grow things that are either unavailable, or insanely expensive to buy locally.  I could for example grow excellent strawberries, but during the same period my crop is ripe, locally grown organic ones are about a buck a pound, so it makes no sense economically or time wise to grow them.

[gabaghool]

God, like most discussions about ANYTHING to do with Italian cuisine, UNLIKE the French, it varies from town to town...no make that from house to house!!.  Recipes, ingredients...its seems NOTHING is undebatable.

But, living and working in Italy for 5 years, and owning my own places here in the states...THIS is my take on this discussion.

Italian tomatoes.....................OVERRATED.  Tomatoes grown HERE in the states, from top producers, are as good, and CANNED, they are BETTER than the Italian tomatoes.  San Marzanos are the worst offenders.

First, the last time I checked, the canning process is different HERE than in Italy.  The lining of the cans are different, the time canned tomatoes sit in Italy versus the US is different.  We can add salt, in Italy, last time I checked, cannot. San Marzanos are MORE suitable for pizza places in Naples than here.  The "sauce" there is much more liquid.  Here, in the states, the sauce is much more substantial.  Even in Italian style pizza places, the sauces are thicker.  In Greek places, the sauces are almost always COOKED, so these tomatoes are a waste.  I have always gone by this.  San Marzanos, if I DO use them, and I almost never do, is for pasta.   

As far as organic goes...................health aside...its all "cool factor"  Its whats in.  And it will get better.  Seriously do you REALLY think most places really care about being "sustainable"?  Flavorwise, I don't know...I'm sure some organic tomatoes are great and some aren't.

The BEST tomatoes I have EVER tried, and the ONLY tomato I use now is STANISLAUS.  I visited the site in California and was amazed.  But, all you have to do to understand WHY these are so good is to open a can of Valaroso tomatoes wash off a whole pear tomato....and taste.  So good, I eat them whole.  The process in the factory is amazing.  The tomato's are picked and canned within a strictly alloted amount of time.  The proper color and shape (box type) are handpicked, the rejects sold to other companies.  The tomatoes, pricier than most, is worth every penny.  And in reality,it is but a few cents more a pizza.  I'm a sauce guy when it comes to pizza, so to me, sauce is more important than the crust or cheese, but I know that is personal.

I just found this site.  I hope to be reading more and more posts.  Thanks for letting me post.

[Jackie Tran]

Welcome to the forum Gabaghool and great 1st post.   I think there are many here that would agree with you on the quality and excellence of Stanilaus products.  I've also read outside of this forum that the Stanilaus Alta Cuchinas are the closest we have to a 'real' san marzano. 

JT

[gabaghool]

Yeah Jackie

Im a bit confused about the Alta Cucina line.  I heard through the grapevine that the AC line is Stanislaus's seconds.  I asked them that in my Cali visit and they said that this wasn't true.  So, maybe you are correct.

I sell over 150,000 pies annually.  Of all the tomatoes i've tasted, STANISLAUS, BY FAR, is the best.  Not only taste, but almost as important   TEXTURE.  They are FIRM and fresh tasting AND feeling.  Its simply an amazing product.

Thank you for the warm welcome.

[Matthew]

On my continued search for a great tasting San Marzano I picked up a can of Agri genus DOP  & a can of Strianese DOP.  I tried the Agri genus yesterday & found them to be excellent, amongst the best that I've tried so far. They were firm, sweet & hardly had any seeds.  The taste & texture held up extremely well in the WFO.  They come in convenient 14oz cans which is perfect for about 4 pizzas.  They retail for $2.49 but I can get them wholesale at $1.75 if I buy a case of 24.  I also had the opportunity to try Lupara frozen buffalo mozzarella & found that it also was really good.  A little more firm & less delicate than the so called fresh.  It melted very nicely under the high heat without didn't turn into a pool of water.

Matt

[hotsawce]

Matt,

How was the real Fior Di Latte, and how would one go about making this cheese at home? I actually want to get my hands on it to see how it melts and tastes. This also makes me wonder, could one get the curd texture of Fior Di Latte with Buffalo milk?

As for the tomato issue, I truly believe any fresh tomato will blow away any canned tomato. Personally, I don't find a huge difference in the canned tomatoes.

[Matthew]

Matt,

How was the real Fior Di Latte, and how would one go about making this cheese at home? I actually want to get my hands on it to see how it melts and tastes. This also makes me wonder, could one get the curd texture of Fior Di Latte with Buffalo milk?

As for the tomato issue, I truly believe any fresh tomato will blow away any canned tomato. Personally, I don't find a huge difference in the canned tomatoes.

I have not tried it as it's a proprietary product & made solely for Neapolitan pizzeria's.  For a visual, I have posted a couple of pictures below.  Both pizzerias have the exact same ovens that run at the same temperatures, the same dough regimen & buy their cheese from this company.  The pizza in the top picture is with traditional stretched & balled fior di latte & the second picture is made with the unstretched virgin product.

I am not an expert on cheese, but to answer your second question, I don't think that you would be able to produce such a product using buffalo milk.

[Matthew]

A liitle bit on San Marzano tomatoes:

The tomato is originally from Central America. It arrived in Europe in 1600, imported by the Spaniards which had given the tomato ornamental value. Maybe, it is for this reason that it has not maintained its original name "tomate". But it has been named pomo d'oro "apple of gold". In 1700, according to the latest evidence from the oral tradition, it arrived in Italy as a gift from the Kingdom of Peru to the Kingdom of Naples and would have been planted in the area which corresponds with the town of San Marzano.In 1900, it became highly praised from a gastronomical point of view, and the first industries of preservation were developed.

The San Marzano D.O.P.
The technique of cultivation is vertical with the utilisation of planks, respects the secular tradition, so that the produce remains whole. The harvest is then collected by hand, one by one. It is a Typical product of Campania and it constitutes an important citation for those who would like to nourish themselves withproducts from the Mediterranean diet. An ideal traditional diet, culture, pleasure, socialization and balance.


DOP
(Seal of authenticity), brand obtained in 1996 on behalf of the European Union. It is the acknowledgment assigned to agricultural products and food in which the phases of the productive process are realized in a restricted geographical area and in which the productive process results in conforming to a discipline of production.







 

[trosenberg]

With all due respect to Tscarborough I disagree with your comment "Grow tomatoes or jalapenos?!  It makes no sense, since they are so cheap to buy local and organic."   I don't know what type of tomatoes you have grown but the heirlooms cost about $6/lb here and there is NOTHING like picking a few of them in August grabbing a little fresh basil, drizzling some EVOO & balsamic on them & eating. It may be psychological but to me mine taste the best.  I have  a huge garden & grow lots of veggies but tomatoes are the #1 reason I garden.

[Tscarborough]

I used to do the same, but I just got lazy, I guess.  I generally get as many home-grown tomatoes as I can use from friends and neighbors, but I don't usually use them for sauce.  All I grow now are basil, chilie petin, and thyme.

[scott r]

Yeah Jackie

Im a bit confused about the Alta Cucina line.  I heard through the grapevine that the AC line is Stanislaus's seconds.  I asked them that in my Cali visit and they said that this wasn't true.  So, maybe you are correct.

Gabaghool, Welcome gto the forum.   These are some of my favorite tomatoes too.  Alta Cucina is not a line, and definitely not seconds.  There is only one Alta Cuciana product, and it is whole peeled plum tomatoes.    The other whole peeled product Stanislaus offers is the Valoroso, which is a whole peeled pear tomato, and it is packed in a thicker puree than the alta cucina.   The Alta's are billed as the companies answer to San marzanos, but neither one tastes anything like a San marzano to me.  They are both very high quality products and slightly different.  In my opinion the alta cucina tomatoes are more tangy, while the valoroso are a little more "dry" and deeper flavored.   

[Essen1]

Maybe, it is for this reason that it has not maintained its original name "tomate".

I don't know why it hasn't kept its name, but in German it's still called "Tomate". "Eine Tomate, zwei Tomaten..." and so forth 

[ujanjua]

Hi there. I am thinking of using Agri Genus dop san marzano in my restaurant that I am about to open. Not tried them yet but was interested in your thoughts?? Thankyou

[gabaghool]

The last time I checked, Italy EXPORTED more tons of tomatoes than it grew................