San Marzano Tomatoes Delivery or Pickup

San Marzano tomatoes are a kind of plum tomato, but they're much longer and thinner than most varieties. They usually have fewer seeds as well, and they look a bit like some hot peppers. San Marzano tomatoes are named for the town of San Marzano Sul Sarno near Naples, Italy. This neighborhood is part of the Sarno River valley near Mount Vesuvius, and the area's volcanic soil and unique climate give San Marzano tomatoes a unique flavor or terroir. 

The first San Marzano tomato seed grown in the area was a gift from Peru to Naples in 1770. Tomatoes are native to South America, and the Spanish and Spanish colonies helped introduce them to Europe. At first, people grew them as ornamental plants, but they soon discovered their excellent flavors. The USDA's Agricultural Research Service developed the Roma tomato in the United States in 1955, and it's a hybrid of the San Marzano and another tomato variety.

San Marzano tomatoes are usually in season in the United States in August and September, and they're harvested before the first frost of the year. The tomatoes are about 4 inches long and slightly soft when ripe. You should be able to take them away from the plant easily. For the best taste, look for bright red, vine-ripened tomatoes without blemishes. Some may even come in bunches with a vine and a few leaves still connecting them. 

These tomatoes are sometimes labeled as San Marzano style because they're not San Marzano tomatoes grown in Italy. You can buy authentic, canned, whole, or halved San Marzano tomatoes or tomato pastes that say Product of Italy on the can, but San Marzano style canned tomatoes are less costly. In Italy, only San Marzano and Pomodorino del Piennolo del Vesuvio tomatoes are allowed in vera pizza Napoletana, true Neapolitan pizza. To make sure you're getting San Marzano tomatoes from Italy, look for the letters DOP on the can. It's the Italian abbreviation for Protected Designation of Origin.

You can eat San Marzano tomatoes raw or cooked. They're a type of berry, but people mostly use them as vegetables. Their thick flesh makes them particularly good for canning and making tomato paste and sauces. They're famous for their sweet, delicate flavor, and they taste great with meats and cheeses. You can use them in spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, chili, salsa, salads, and sandwiches. Rinse off some fresh San Marzano tomatoes, and then slice them and eat them with salt and pepper. 

Fry green San Marzano tomatoes in cornmeal and bacon fat for a new version of a Southern favorite. To substitute fresh San Marzano tomatoes for canned ones, boil them for a minute or two and then transfer them to cold water to stop the cooking process. After that, you should be able to peel off the skins easily, remove the seeds, and continue following your sauce recipe. If you can't find any San Marzano tomatoes, you can use another variety and add some additional spices to make up for the lack of flavor.