Canned Diced Tomatoes

[CanMan]

Out of season some times its necessary to use canned tomatoes in our recipes. The Cooks Illustrated recently did a taste test of several brands which you might enjoy.

Original Discusion

The actual results charted

[shipscook]

I love, love tomatoes in this venue!! whole tomatoes are a PITA to deal with, stewed are ragged looking.

My friend in cities with nice markets rave about Muir Glen. But here we have S&W and I have tried them side by side with Safeway store brand and not exact, but close enough for this persnikity old broad.

Was in Seattle visiting a very serious foodie friend, she took me to a bulk gourmet food outlet. This is where the top chefs there shop. I was hoping for Tom Douglas and hoping Anthony Bourdain was passing through. As I type I am drooling remember it, there was a whole aisle of Muir Glen tomato products. Pastas that dreams are made of, chocolate, chocolate and more. Oils, freakin' beautiful dry and fresh herbs. Cheese and Sausage and, time to wipe my chin before I must wipe my keyboard. Oh no can't think about the olives and anchovies and----
this gal then took me to my first Ethopian Resturant,
was a lucky day, we also had sun in Seattle--

Nan

[chubbyalaskagriz]

I like Cooks Illustrated, CanMan... thanks for sharing this!

Nan- where do you like dining in Seattle? For Italian, I like "Tulio's" on 5th, and of course Flying Fish on 1st Ave. For EZ burgers and dogs I like Dick's drive-in on Capital Hill...

[jfain]

I agree with them 100% canman. I always buy glen muir tomtoes.

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

Great info. CanMan! The one item I must always have on hand in my pantry is a canned tomato product, if I run out as soon as I discover it I will jump in the car to go buy & restock my canned tomatoes! I do not think we can get Muir Glen here but S&W we can!

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

Was in Seattle visiting a very serious foodie friend, she took me to a bulk gourmet food outlet. This is where the top chefs there shop. I was hoping for Tom Douglas and hoping Anthony Bourdain was passing through. As I type I am drooling remember it, there was a whole aisle of Muir Glen tomato products. Pastas that dreams are made of, chocolate, chocolate and more. Oils, freakin' beautiful dry and fresh herbs. Cheese and Sausage and, time to wipe my chin before I must wipe my keyboard. Oh no can't think about the olives and anchovies and----
this gal then took me to my first Ethopian Resturant,
was a lucky day, we also had sun in Seattle--Nan

Nan I am totally with you on that store you visited, I love places like that and just can't get enough! If I ever worked in a place like that OMG, I would spend every pay check at work

How was the Ethiopian food? I bet it was good and seasoned very nicely! Tell me all about it when you get time!
I am so glad you had a great get-away!

Cathy

[jfain]

We have an Ethiopian restaurant here in Columbus and it's some of the most delicious food I've ever eaten. It's one of my favorite places to go plus they make their bread from 100% teff flour so it's gluten free, Hurray!

[The Ironic Chef]

CanMan, I have been watching along with Cooks Illustrated and have heard them discussing canned diced tomatoes and the use of Calcium Chloride. They themselves recommend the use of chopped peeled tomatoes. I disagree with them though. I don't really mind the use of Calcium Chloride, which helps the tomatoes dices hold their shape doing something with the pectin stength in the tomatoes.. I haven't found that it makes them mealy in the least. I don't know about all brands or the amounts of Calcium Chloride used but the brands I buy, I am pleased with the results.
I hold Americas Test Kitchen and Cooks Country in very high regards and they are above all, my favorite cooking shows but at times I do question their results.
A good example, they are out of Vermont. They did a show on corn bread many episodes ago. Now no Northerner is going to tell a southerner to put sugar in a corn bread. So no matter the number of taste test, the best recipes, it is all to the taste of the person doing the eating. Taste are different by regions and areas. A southerner that believes they own the rights to corn bread will tell you that no one should put sugar in their corn bread.

My taste for sauce will probably be much different than yours, I may like more salt or a different texture to my tomatoes or sauce. I Can up most of my own tomatoes but the diced go the quickest due to sauces and homemade salsa. I even like to process diced tomatoes, Italian herbs together and then to emulsify in some olive oil . Makes an excellent pizza topping.

[lthipphawong@hotmail.com]

I love using canned crushed tomatoes in marinara and especially in Italian wedding soup

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

You know the big difference between store bought canned tomatoes and my own homemade canned tomatoes? I used to open a jar of mine and the kids and I would stand right there in the kitchen and eat the whole jar and laugh and smile and get the biggest kick out of this treat! We nor I by myself Have never done that with store bought, that's for sure!!!

I guess there is a difference that those folks at Cooks Illustrated could never figure out