I’ll never forget my parents’ arrival right after my son was born. When we opened the door, we found my father holding two bulging string bags full of canned San Marzano tomatoes. He had schlepped them on the plane so that he wouldn’t have to track them down in unfamiliar territory. No other tomato would do. Years later, when I started making his marinara sauce, I discovered the reasons for myself, and ended up just as particular.

The name “San Marzano” refers to a type of tomato as well as its home. The Marzano is a plum tomato with a distinctive bi-lobed, elongated shape. It grows in the area between Salerno and Naples known as Agro Nocerino-Sarnese, where volcanic soil and abundant sunshine keep the tomato happy. Brands of canned San Marzanos that comply with Italian law governing production are awarded D.O.P. status and they proudly display the designation on their labels. It is possible that certain non-DOP brand cans contain authentic San Marzano tomatoes, but I’ve seen enough imposters to be suspicious, and you should be too!