San Marzano Tomatoes explained - from Google
So, what makes the Italian San Marzano tomatoes superior to other varieties that are grown in the US?
San Marzano Tomatoes are grown in Italy. On one particular piece of real estate and on one side of the mountain which give you the best quality in all of Italy and the World. Tomatoes that grow close to this real estate have much of same quality but can not be called San Marzano. Remember, the tomato is a fruit. Italy is also responsible for incredible wines made from it's amazing grapes grown in unique soil in which volcanic ash of Italy's past may play a role in its produce quality. Sometimes tenderness depends on when a tomato is picked or the way they are processed when it comes to American Brands.
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Why are imported Italian canned tomatoes more tender than the same American product?
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Unfortunately, it's a known problem. Much of the produce in the US has been bred for profit: size, color, amount produced per acre, and ability to survive handling (mechanized pickers, shipping long distances, etc).
It's that last one that tends to be the problem with tenderness -- a tomato that's tender when ripe will get squished when it's being picked in the field and transported to the canning facility:
(summary of the video : vines are cut and stripped, then tomatoes are flung into a large container where tons are collected at once, then they're washed, sorted, stripped of their skins, and possibly diced or crushed, sorted again, then canned and sterilized)
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San Marzano is both a type of tomato and a region in Italy. The San Marzano tomato is a type of plum tomato, but it's longer and thinner than the typical plum tomato; it also has a more obvious pointed tip and fewer seeds. Not all canned tomatoes from Italy are San Marzano, and to make things more confusing, San Marzano tomatoes grow outside of Italy, too. In fact, they are now also grown in the United States—and their seeds are widely available, which means you could grow San Marzano tomatoes in your vegetable garden.
Genuine Italian San Marzano will be labeled showing protected region.
DOP. Denominazione d'Origine Protetta | Protected Designation of Origin. The DOP label guarantees that your favorite cheese, prosciutto, olive oil, etc., is produced, processed, and packaged in a specific geographical zone and according to tradition. Each step, from production to packaging, is regulated.
Just like the designation of a specific area for growing onions to be sold as "Vidialia Onions".
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