Canned Tomatoes and the Myth of the San Marzano

About this episode

This episode explores the appeal of canned tomatoes, their history, and the truth behind the San Marzano variety.

Canned tomatoes are a perfect winter food. As you'll know from our tomato episode, the beautiful fruits in fresh aisle of the supermarket are mostly flavorless outside of the summer season—but the tomatoes that get packed in a can are cheap, readily available, and, most importantly, delicious year-round. This episode, we have the stories of how turtle poop, full English fry-ups, and an Italian romance helped turn the canned tomato into a pantry hero. Plus, are San Marzanos really the best tasting option out there? We've got the juicy tips you need to score the ultimate tomato fix, no matter the season! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People in this episode

Hosts: Cynthia Graber, Nicola Twilley

Topics covered

• canned tomatoes
• San Marzano
• winter food
• pantry hero
• Italian romance
• food history

Keywords

• canned tomatoes
• San Marzano
• winter food
• food history
• Italian romance
• pantry hero

Mentioned in this episode

Products: San Marzano, canned tomatoes

Places: Italy

More episodes of Gastropod

• What the Shell? Cracking the Lobster's Mysteries · June 9, 2026 · 44 min
• A Dog's Dinner: What Should We Really Be Feeding Our Pets? · May 19, 2026 · 50 min
• Feel the Beet: The Most Fascinating Woman You've Never Heard Of · May 5, 2026 · 45 min
• White vs. Wheat: The Food Fight of the Centuries · April 21, 2026 · 53 min
• Protein, Pyramids, and Politics: The Forgotten Stories and Controversial Science Behind Government Dietary Advice · April 7, 2026 · 55 min
• Sushi's Extraordinary Evolution: From Pickle to Primetime · March 24, 2026 · 45 min