Sam Mogannam has access to all kinds of pristine seasonal produce as owner of Bi-Rite Market, a cult-favorite grocery with four locations in San Francisco. But on a recent Saturday, Mogannam went out of his way to pick up 20 pounds of a rare and sought-after tomato grown in Northern California by only one commercial farm. This is not a Sungold, San Marzano or Early Girl tomato. This is the Piennolo, a petite grape tomato with a distinctive pointed tip and haunting depth of flavor. He’s not the only one: Bay Area chefs and tomato-heads come from as far away as New York and Texas for the Piennolo, available only for a few months, from late summer into fall.
“They’re such a f— good tomato,” Mogannam said. “They roast gorgeously. They puree gorgeously. There’s a density and a saltiness to them. They don’t need much.”
The Piennolo, an heirloom variety whose origin traces centuries back to the Italian region of Campania, is a meaty, thick-skinned tomato grown at Mariquita Farm in Hollister (San Benito County) and sold only at limited pop-ups. Even in the produce-obsessed Bay Area, where securing the best tomato toast for a few months every summer is practically a competitive sport, it stands out for its flavor, lush texture and versatility. While some tomatoes are destined for cooked sauces and others are best raw in salads, the Piennolo, unusually, shines in both applications…