Where do you get your's, if anywhere. I'm so jaded by all of the EU confusion over what constitutes an authentic San Marzano canned tomato that I'm disinclined to believe just about everything. I bought some Flora brand canned tomatoss yesterday at Wegmans. The can says "San Marzano Tomates of Sarnese-Nocerino Area." Imported Authentic Tomato. D.O.P. The designation "of Sarnese-Nocerion Area" has me totally confused. They cost $2.99 for a 28 oz. can. But the question lingers: did I get bona fide San Marzano tomatoes? There are at least 3 seals on the back side and numbers. At this point, I think it's all bullshit myself.

The Italian Store off Spout Run Pkwy and Lee Hwy has what I remember as being true San Marzanos, also good pizza and fantastic subs

You can also pick up the Cento brand San Marzanos at Snider's in Silver Spring.

Buy a couple of cans of different tomatoes and do a taste test. It would be interesting to see how they compare.

I have found many brands of San Marzano "style" tomatoes, but the DOP one's I found the other day at Wegman's were as close to "real" San Marzanos as I have seen. I'm still not satisfied that they are the real McCoy. The one's at the Italian Store on Spout Run are San Marzano "style" not DOP.

My thoughts exactly.

Great idea! Anyone want to join me? Some friends and I did a vanilla taste test a few years ago and we had a blast!

For sauces and such I usually use american canned tomatoes. My way of looking at it is that once you add garlic/onions/herbs/spices & such and cook the sauce for any length of time, the subtle nuances between the various tomatoes are lost anyway.

And if I am making something that calls for unadulterated canned tomatoes, I like Muir Glen (I've only seen them sold at Whole Foods). In my experience, the quality of San Marzano tomatoes varies wildly, even within the same brand, so I've given up on them.

Shopper's Food has Muir Glen tomotoes. They are not in the regular canned tomato section, they are in what I will descibe as the "international asile." There is a section with organic stuff and that is where they keep the Muir Glen tomato products. Probably cheaper than Whole Paycheck.

edited to add: I'd be intersted in what Mrs. B thinks about this subject.

I agree with Mktye; I think once you add to it, the taste difference is probably

lost. I've tried bothCento and Muir Glen also - don't see a whole lot of difference.

I would check out Literi's on NE. They have the widest range of imported tomatos thta I have seen locally (including the Italian Store).

Even if you don't find the tomatos you want its worth a trip down their for their subs. They make Italian Store look like Subway.

Where exactly is this place?

Right here

I have offered to do a pasta making session to a couple of others, maybe we could combine the two and have a pretty good carb fest.

I'm down.

Not sure if we're calling all canned Italian plum tomatoes "San Marzano" style, but has anyone seen the Ferrara brand in D.C. recently?

While I wasn't a member of DR back when you had the big canned tomato taste test, I read the results with interest and seem to recall this was a supermarket brand that scored well. Giant used to carry it, but has drastically limited its inventory and now only carries Furmano which I don't like at all.

FYI: Safeway is now selling a store-brand ( ) of imported DOP San Marzano tomatoes for more than $5 a can. Even Vace charges less.

I would also like to see the results form the canned tomato taste test.

Nevermind, I found it (listed as tomato sauce and pasta-making) here.

I think I may have seen it at Rodman's.