Whether you're eating them in a salad or using them as the base of an ultra scrumptious pasta
sauce, tomatoes always add something special to a dish. Of the myriad varieties and colors
— ranging from pink to yellow to white, one variety is a fan favorite among many food
enthusiasts and even more celebrity chefs: San Marzano tomatoes.
San Marzano tomatoes are famous for their sweet taste and thicker flesh and are seen
as some of the best types available on the market. San Marzano tomatoes can be traced
back to 18th century Italy and, like most authentic Italian products, are cultivated
in the San Marzano sul Sarno region near Naples. Unfortunately, San Marzano tomatoes have suffered
a food assault of sorts — famed all-around cooking expert Alton Brown have long questioned
their authenticity. On Food & Wine's Twitter, a fan of Brown's pointed out how the chef
has been noting for years that most canned San Marzano tomatoes are fake — eliciting
praise from Brown himself in a Tweet.
Food & Wine reports that the tomato market has been sadly flooded with a plethora of
counterfeit San Marzano tomatoes, noting a report from the consortium that oversees San
Marzano Tomatoes — yes, there really is one — that says, out of all the cans labeled
"San Marzano tomato," only 5% are an actual product of Italy. A tomato company spokesperson
told Taste that some Italian companies will simply slap on a San Marzano sticker and call
it a day. And since there is no official body that oversees this process, those companies
can get away with it.
Taste further reveals that some companies won't even hide that the tomatoes aren't San
Marzano and will add that note in the fine print on the nutritional label on the back
of the can.
“gosh”
So, what happens when you can't distinguish whether your tomatoes are legitimate or not?
Taste says that official San Marzano tomatoes only come whole or in fillets, peeled, and
canned — so if you see diced or crushed San Marzanos, they're fake. Another sign that
they aren't real? If the price seems like a total steal. Food & Wine cites how authentic
San Marzano tomatoes will probably cost you a "pretty penny."
Apart from reading the label's fine print carefully, evaluating the price, and looking
for the style of the tomatoes, there are two more tell-tale items you can look for to ensure
you're buying real San Marzano tomatoes. According to Food & Wine, cans of real San Marzano tomatoes
will have two very specific labels on them that cannot be forged or manipulated: a D.O.P.
seal and a Consorzio San Marzano certification number. These may both appear as a banner
around the top of the can or might be stamped somewhere toward the bottom of the can.
D.O.P. in English, means, "Protected Designation of Origin.”
This seal and designation is organized and controlled by the European Union and serves
as proof that the product that bears its designation is authentic. To be stamped with the D.O.P.
seal, the product must come from the correct origins and have the proper production and
manufacturing standards to be awarded the label.
Many wines, cheeses, and other products from specific European countries and regions use
this system as well to protect what is marketed as their products. Just like only wine from
the Champagne region of France can be called "champagne," only San Marzano tomatoes with
a D.O.P. seal can be totally trusted as the real thing.
Now that you know what to look for — seeking out San Marzano tomatoes that feature a D.O.P.
seal and a Consorzio San Marzano number — you should know about the best places to shop
to find the real tomatoes. While you can purchase cans online, you might feel better buying
in person.
Trader Joe's has been stocking more D.O.P.-certified products over the past few years and is worth
checking out. You might even find D.O.P.-backed San Marzano tomatoes at your go-to supermarket.
But if you can't, then you should try shopping at an Italian specialty store or even an international
market to get the most authentic options. Just make sure you look for that D.O.P. label,
some well known brands that you might think are D.O.P. are not!
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