Carmelina 'e San Marzano Italian Peeled Tomatoes in Puree , 28-Ounce Cans (Pack of 12)

I am a passionate home cook and have been canning my own tomatoes since I was a child. American canned tomatoes all contain a "firming agent" that prevents the tomatoes from turning to mush in the can. This agent also prevents them from breaking down nicely in a sauce, too! Thus, I always can my own. However, I will no longer be using my own tomatoes in pasta sauces after trying these Italian tomatoes. These tomatoes are rich, meaty and are packed in a thick sauce. They look and taste fabulous, and make an amazing pasta sauce! My husband and I kept "mmm-ing" as we ate the first sauce I made with these. I love the fact that they have no additives of any kind - no firming agents, no herbs/spices, not even any salt. You have complete control over how you season your dishes. I'm soooo glad I bought a whole case of these, and hope I will always be able to access them. The case price brings them down to well below supermarket prices for Italian tomatoes. I couldn't care less that they are not DOP San Marzanos, just like I couldn't care less that my champagne doesn't come from France! These tomatoes are the same as San Marzanos, without the special government label of tomatoes that come from a small geographic area in Italy. American or home canned tomatoes are great for soups and stews, but no more American tomatoes for my pasta sauces! I encourage everyone to give them a try.

For years, I used the generic store brand canned tomatoes. And for years, I thought if you went canned instead of fresh it was acceptable for the canned tomatoes to taste like a mixture of crushed red bricks in lemon soap water and to smell like absolutely nothing, no matter how far you stuck your nose inside the can. I never dreamed the possibility that one day I might open a can of tomatoes that would smell and taste like fresh sun kissed tomatoes. I wanted so bad to open a can of tomatoes and smell the tomato smell that anybody whose ever grown tomatoes experiences everyday as they water and brush up against their plants. I wanted so bad to taste the fruity sweet taste of real tomatoes that makes you come to understand why tomatoes are fruits not vegetables.It was because of all my disappointments and expectations above that I started my search for a great canned tomato brand. After much disagreement and uncertainty among canned tomato users, I found my way to Carmelina Italian Peeled Tomatoes in Puree. The reviews on Amazon were great and consistent. The fact that Carmelina does not use preservatives or any other flavors to disguise the true taste of their tomatoes was perfect. I thought I finally found the one great canned tomato that would finally let me create great pizza and pasta sauces. With that last thought, I quickly ordered them with 2day shipping.They arrived about two days prior to making this review. I checked every single can and they were all in perfect condition. Two days later with a recipe and all my ingredients in hand I was ready to make an amazing Neapolitan ragu. I'm sure every one of you looking for a great can of tomatoes ALSO has great recipe that requires great canned tomatoes! Well this amazing ragu was going to be my great recipe. The Ragu uses fresh pork and italian sausages that are simmered in tomato sauce for 8-10 hours and then when the red sauce has absorbed every once of flavor from the meat it is slowly poured over perfectly cooked pasta and then topped with parmesan cheese. Sounds like heaven doesn't it?Today, the date of this review, I got all my ingredients ready and made sure to wake up nice and early to give this ragu plenty of time to make its magic happen. I prepped my meat, olive oil, fresh garlic, and thinly sliced onion. I took out three of the cans. I slowly opened the first one with a huge grin on my face. Just days before my whole family called me crazy for ordering canned tomatoes over the internet and paying $35 bucks plus shipping/handling. Whatever, I would have the last laugh when they are stuffing their faces and asking for seconds. I pushed the lid open with the last twist of the can opener and for a second I was hit with mild disappointment. NO SMELL. But I kicked that thought out of my head and plunged my fingers in the can, picking out a soft peeled tomato. I popped it in my mouth and let a big sigh of disappointment.I opened all three cans to make sure I wasn't going crazy. They all tasted the same. Watery. Tinny. Bitter. All three cans tasted exactly the same. I kept on tasting and tasting hoping that I would have one bite that would prove me wrong. Nope. There is absolutely nothing special about this brand of canned tomatoes. For three out of twelve cans to taste exactly the same means only one thing. I could cross off one more name in my search for a great brand of canned tomatoes.

Let me jump, with both feet, onto the band wagon of fans who find these tomatoes extraordinary. I made a pizza yesterday just using the puree right from the can and, with some added secret spices and garlic, it was dangerously delicious. Even crushed a few of the whole tomatoes and tossed them on top and sheepishly had to explain to my wife why there was none left when she got home and the place smelled like Italy. "You wouldn't have liked the crust, honey, too thin."I will try these again tonight in a pomodoro on some home-made linguini and can see us going through the case in no time. I brke down the price of these compared to the certified San Marzanos and it is a no-brainer to try these. .10 vs .70 per ounce and roughly $2/lb compared to those under-ripe red tennis balls they sell at the market. And Hunt's does not even belong on the same shelf as these beauties. I'm donating what I have left from Costco to the local food bank along with the sugar and baking soda I will no longer need to balance out the acid. I know this is a raging debate but sugar only masks the acid, the baking soda (just a pinch) will neutralize it and somehow help emulsify and smooth out your tomatoes with your olive oil. Try it, if you are from the sugar camp but go light because it is easier to add more than try to romove too much. Just dissolve a little baking soda in warm water and mix into your sauce.So all that said, why just a 4-star review? Because every can came with a dent of various severity (none leaking) although packed in a solid case box. One other tomato product on Amazon cites the softness of the tin used in Italy as the culprit in their disclaimer and infers don't worry about it since it is just cosmetic. Well, I like non-dented cans and, since I plan to give some of these away to friends who comment on them, a dented can seems tacky, just like a peeling, crooked or torn wine label. This usually denotes a "second" or even damaged goods.I'd pay a bit extra to have these packed better so the denting doesn't occur but get the feeling they are packed this way at the factory and reflected in the price,which, as I note, is very fair for the product. I would hope Amazon has enough clout and interest in customer satisfaction to notify the packing plant in Italy to step up their QA, as many reviews here mention the problem and, based on my recent first experience, it is not getting any better.Other than that, buy and enjoy with reckless abandon! And enjoy your extra free time since the smooth and thick puree will allow you to cut your cooking time and render a sauce that is fresh, rich and zesty without spending hours on the burner.Chow-4-now,jb