Author Topic: Fresh San Marzano Tomatoes (Read 9375 times)

Seaside Thom · « **on:** October 06, 2007, 05:47:43 PM »

I purchased fresh san marzanos today at my favorite market in Santa Cruz CA. They look beautiful and are longer and pointier than the regular romas. They smell sweet like the ones in the can. They were $1.39#compared to .99 for romas. I suppose that the farmer got seeds from Italy and grows them here.

Any one else see these?

Bill/SFNM · « **Reply #1 on:** October 07, 2007, 12:23:52 AM »

I grew some from Italian seeds last year: http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,3457.msg29301.html#msg29301. I should have grown them again this year.

Fullback66 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 04, 2008, 09:31:16 PM »

Where can I get the seeds? I would love to try my hand at growing those beautiful tomatoes.
fb66

Pete-zza · « **Reply #3 on:** January 04, 2008, 10:07:14 PM »

Quote from: Fullback66 on January 04, 2008, 09:31:16 PM

Where can I get the seeds? I would love to try my hand at growing those beautiful tomatoes.

See http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,5077.msg43068.html#msg43068, but be aware that what you might get growing the San Marzanos in the U.S. will not be the same as the San Marzanos grown in Naples, for the reasons discussed here: http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,5268.msg44722.html#msg44722 (Reply 3).

Also be careful about buying “San Marzano” tomatoes sold by SILtd. From the label they appear to be authentic San Marzano tomatoes (including the words “pomidori pelati” around the label) but they are grown from seed in the U.S. I tried them once but will never do so again.

Peter

Fullback66 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 05, 2008, 07:59:51 AM »

"Also be careful about buying “San Marzano” tomatoes sold by SILtd. From the label they appear to be authentic San Marzano tomatoes (including the words “pomidori pelati” around the label) but they are grown from seed in the U.S. I tried them once but will never do so again."

You are talking about the canned tomatoes not the seeds. Can you tell the differance from seeds grown in the US? I know it is all about the soil.
fb66

Pete-zza · « **Reply #5 on:** January 05, 2008, 08:15:40 AM »

Quote from: Fullback66 on January 05, 2008, 07:59:51 AM

You are talking about the canned tomatoes not the seeds. Can you tell the differance from seeds grown in the US?

Yes, I was referring to the canned tomatoes, not fresh tomatoes grown from the seeds. As noted in one of my posts referenced earlier, I have not grown SMs from seed. However, at least one of the members has done so. See, for example, http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,3601.msg30637.html#msg30637 and http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,3457.msg29301.html#msg29301.

Peter

Fullback66 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 05, 2008, 08:25:14 AM »

Peter,
That is great information. I see your are the source to achieve the ultimate pizza. I hope my questions do not drive you crazy.
Learning as I go.
fb66

canadave · « **Reply #7 on:** January 05, 2008, 12:11:50 PM »

One wonders....

If it's simply a function of the right seeds *and* the right soil, which can only be found in the Naples region, how hard would it be to simply get a hold of some of that soil somehow (maybe the next forum member who goes on a Naples trip could bring back a few bucketfuls of dirt or whatever), acquire the right seeds, and off we go? Surely the North American sun is about the same as the Naples sun

--Dave

Pete-zza · « **Reply #8 on:** January 05, 2008, 12:43:41 PM »

Dave,

Even if your idea is a good one, there is a gotcha, and that is that you can't bring soil into the U.S. without going through a lot of red tape, as noted here: http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/clearing_goods/agri_prod_inus.xml. I would think that similar laws exist in Canada.

Naples 45, the NYC pizzeria/restaurant, at one time imported water from Naples for its Neapolitan-style pizzas. Later, it went to an outside company, I believe in Pennsylvania, to replicate the Naples water chemically. To this day, Charlie Restivo, the former head pizza guy at Naples 45, swears that the water is a crucial component of the doughs for their pizzas.

Peter

canadave · « **Reply #9 on:** January 05, 2008, 01:05:02 PM »

Hmmm....it seems to indicate you need an advance permit, and there definitely is a bit of red tape. However, I wonder how hard it would be to do in practice. We need someone with a Naples connection to hook us up

November · « **Reply #10 on:** January 05, 2008, 01:49:10 PM »

I didn't see it mentioned in this thread so I thought I should point out that elevation, air quality, climate conditions, and a host of other factors will all play minor roles in shaping the flavor of the tomatoes. All the factors can be reproduced either through matching chemical composition (for air and soil), climate control, or the use of a hypo- or hyper- baric chamber. One would have to be ultra dedicated to the authenticity to really have a complete go at it.

mmarston · « **Reply #11 on:** January 08, 2008, 05:05:26 PM »

Here's a great source for tomato seeds, San Marzano and hundreds of others.

http://www.tomatofest.com/heirloom_tomato_seed_home.html

San Marzanos need long days of strong sun. I grew some last year (in upstate NY) and even though I started them indoors and very early at least half never ripened enough to use. The ones that did ripen were great but I think there are better choices for cooler climates.

Michael

vitus · « **Reply #12 on:** January 15, 2008, 06:35:47 PM »

I have a question on San Marzano tomatoes.

My local supermarket suddenly had a shipment of fresh "San Marzano tomatoes".
But they were really small - smaller than a walnut, more like an olive. They were however plum shaped.
Is this another breed of tomatoes than the usual San Marzano tomatoes? A assume that these tomatoes actually come from the area of San Marzano, but I though that the San Marzano-label also indicated a certain type of tomato. What's your thoughts on these tomatoes?

mmarston · « **Reply #13 on:** January 15, 2008, 07:31:42 PM »

I've never heard of San Marzanos that small. I suspect it's a marketing scheme.
You can see pictures of a few different varieties here.

http://store.tomatofest.com/Paste_Tomatoes_s/54.htm

Pete-zza · « **Reply #14 on:** January 16, 2008, 12:31:30 AM »

vitus,

It's possible that what you saw is a small cherry-type tomato as grown in vesuvial soil around Naples and called pendolini or pomodorini del piennolo: http://www.barillaus.com/Home/Pages/Spring_Vegetables__Element_Of_Fun.aspx. I do not recall wthether they are the San Marzano varietal, (I tend to think not) so it is possible that the market was referring to the San Marzano region where the cherry-type tomatoes are commonly grown.

Peter

vitus · « **Reply #15 on:** January 16, 2008, 09:24:08 AM »

Thanks, Pete and mmarston!

Well, I guess you can say that San Marzano tomatoes are always pretty large and oblong, then. So either the supermarket is just trying to make them sound expensive or else they are referring to the San Marzano region, as you said.
I have bought them, and I would say that they taste like any standard cherry tomato. The are however oblong and a bit pointy, and the look very similar to the "Tondino di Manduria" from your link, mmarston.

doughboy · « **Reply #16 on:** January 17, 2008, 08:14:33 PM »

Quote from: Seaside Thom on October 06, 2007, 05:47:43 PM

I purchased fresh san marzanos today at my favorite market in Santa Cruz CA. They look beautiful and are longer and pointier than the regular romas. They smell sweet like the ones in the can. They were $1.39#compared to .99 for romas. I suppose that the farmer got seeds from Italy and grows them here.

Any one else see these?

if anyone needs to or would like to buy italian seeds here is a link www.growitalian.com/ that i have been using and buying from for a couple years, I grow the strains that are resistant to as much stuff as i can, but you get great tomato's. I make my own variation on 6-1 sauce.

www.growitalian.com/

Cynthia V · « **Reply #17 on:** March 28, 2008, 09:14:43 AM »

I bought San Marzano Tomato seeds at my local Home Depot, can't wait to try them.

mmarston · « **Reply #18 on:** March 28, 2008, 10:46:11 AM »

I'm growing six varieties of heirloom tomatoes this year including Opalka (early season) and Long Tom (late season) paste (sauce) tomatoes this year.
I'll report back in a few months.

David · « **Reply #19 on:** May 05, 2009, 03:21:41 AM »

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13buMC5eE5A" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13buMC5eE5A</a>