A few new Italian tomatoes I am growing this year...

**nctomatoman** · May 31, 2012

From a local CSA farmer who travels to Italy were shared seeds from two plum type varieties that he loves - indicates they are "Slow Food" varieties - Piennolo and Torre Canne. There isn't much info on them on the intertubes - anyone here know much about them or has experience with them?

Thus far Piennolo is surprisingly potato leaf and is very early to set - and the tomatoes are indeed Roma shaped - it is indeterminate. Torre Canne is unusual in being one of the few varieties with no purple at all in the young stems. I think it may be a determinate in looking where and how the blossoms are forming - and wish I didn't prune away those early suckers!

Then a chef friend whose parents went to Italy brought him seeds for Cour di Buie (I am familiar with that - assume it is a pink heart variety) - but also Sorrento and Tondino. So those three are growing as well - anyone know much about those last two? Nice vigorous young plants, now blossoming.

Boutique Tomatoes · May 31, 2012

I grew Tondino Maremmano last year, it was a red salad tomato about 1-2oz, but with all the rain and cool weather we had mine had a lot of splits and didn't have the best flavor.

It's on my list to try again since last season wasn't a good one to evaluate new varieties, but my friends who like the salad tomatoes asked for "interesting and colorful" so it didn't make the cut for this years grow list. Pity, because this year so far is warm and dry so it would have been a good contrast if the weather keeps up like this.

Father'sDaughter · June 1, 2012

Sorrento is one of the only two varieties I'm growing again this year. Last year I had two plants, and while yield was very low, I did get a few large sized fruit at the beginning of the season. If I remember correctly, flavor was very good, a touch on the sweet side, but very "rich" and they were quite juicy.

**carolyn137** · June 1, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by nctomatoman

From a local CSA farmer who travels to Italy were shared seeds from two plum type varieties that he loves - indicates they are "Slow Food" varieties - Piennolo and Torre Canne. There isn't much info on them on the intertubes - anyone here know much about them or has experience with them?

Thus far Piennolo is surprisingly potato leaf and is very early to set - and the tomatoes are indeed Roma shaped - it is indeterminate. Torre Canne is unusual in being one of the few varieties with no purple at all in the young stems. I think it may be a determinate in looking where and how the blossoms are forming - and wish I didn't prune away those early suckers!

Then a chef friend whose parents went to Italy brought him seeds for Cour di Buie (I am familiar with that - assume it is a pink heart variety) - but also Sorrento and Tondino. So those three are growing as well - anyone know much about those last two? Nice vigorous young plants, now blossoming.

http://t.tatianastomatobase.com:88/wiki/Cuore_Di_Bue

Craig if it's spelled Cuore then it's Italian , but see the mixed up situation on the various Cuor, Cuores at Tania's site above. And you'll see the same situation if you look at your SSE YEarbooks.

All are supposed versions of Heart of the Bull and some are pink and some are red and sometimes spelled Bue, and sometimes spelled Bui. Note Tania's comment about the Franchi one as well.

The Cuore Di Bui that I grew from Italy was red.

Recently several seeds sites received the wrong seeds for German Red Strawbeery from Italy and it turned out they were Coure Di Bue. That happened at Baker Creek and I can't remember the two other places right now, but they were pulled when the error became apparent after growout.

Sounds like some interesting new varieties you have. it always pays to have an Italian contct as well as contacts in other countries as well.

**nctomatoman** · June 2, 2012

Well, I will save plenty of seeds....and likely ship a plant of each up your way next spring if they are good varieties that deserve your trial!

Fusion_power · June 25, 2012

I have 3 ripe Piennolo so far. As noted by Craig, they are potato leaf, roughly 1 ounce fruit with a few that might go 2 ounces. They are druplet pear shape with a distinctive nipple. most of them appear to have 2 seed locules. The tomatoes ripen to an orange color then gradually turn red over the next few days. This is consistent with descriptions of the rin gene (ripening inhibitor) which would also match the known characteristics of the variety being stored for several months in winter. Production per plant so far has been low and plant vigor is also low. Leaf cover is less than I would like, I am waiting to see if any of the fruit sunburn. I haven't eaten one yet, I want to see if flavor is as good as the description after a week or two of storage. I will also let a few ripen on the plants for comparison. The only other note I would make is that I should have several thousand seed at the end of the season. The pic below is exactly what my plants are producing.

As a "by the way" piece of information, these plants exhibit a huge number of traceable recessive traits. They are PL (1 gene), pyriform shape (3 genes), nippled (1 gene), and 2 seed locules (1 gene)

DarJones

**nctomatoman** · July 4, 2012

We are about to pick our first Piennolo in a few days. Agree that it is not a very vigorous plant, and is unusual in being a PL plum type. I did taste a few when I saved seeds from them last year (my friend Alex, a local farmer, gave me some). The chefs who buy them like to make sun dried tomatoes from them.

We also picked a Torre Canne - one ounce, round, red - I do think it is a determinate, since it didn't like being pruned and it really impacted the yield - also odd in being a rare variety with no purple shading/pigment in the young stem. Flavor very uninspiring - another better for sun drying/sauce making than fresh eating.

Fusion_power · July 4, 2012

Craig, I tried a few. Flavor is outstanding, but you will find the texture to be a bit mushy. They are best if harvested and let ripen 2 or 3 more days indoors. Try cutting one open and smelling of it. They have a delicious tomato aroma.

DarJones

Douglas14 · July 6, 2012

Craig,
I'm growing Cuore Di Bue.....from a seed pack that states "Authentic Italian Seed" distributed by Thompson & Morgan. The top of the seed pack is torn away, but I think it also had the name Vita Sementi on the pack(which may be a seed company name?). I bought it at a local greenhouse/nursery for $2.79. It had a very large amount of seeds, compared to what I'm used to getting in a seed pack. The pic on the pack shows a somewhat pear-shaped tomato(fatter on the bottom, and ribbed at the top). The small green fruits are exhibiting that shape as well.

Fusion_power · July 14, 2012

I tried a few more of the Piennolo this evening. The difference is beyond belief. The tomatoes I ate 2 weeks ago were the earliest to ripen. I would have rated them as good tomatoes. The tomatoes I ate today were outstanding! Flavor would have gone 9.5 or maybe a tad higher. I could see picking a ton of these and making tomato sauce with them. They have thick skin which is the only thing I did not like about them. That is consistent with the description, the thick skin is what helps them keep for up to 9 months.

One note, the tomatoes I ate today were vine ripened to a cherry red color. They were at the peak of ripeness. I suspect they will have to be fully ripened on the vine to reach condition where they will store long term. I also take back what I posted above. Don't let them ripen indoors for a couple of days, they taste best fresh from the vine when fully ripe.

DarJones

ScottinAtlanta · July 14, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Douglas14

Craig,
I'm growing Cuore Di Bue.....from a seed pack that states "Authentic Italian Seed" distributed by Thompson & Morgan. The top of the seed pack is torn away, but I think it also had the name Vita Sementi on the pack(which may be a seed company name?). I bought it at a local greenhouse/nursery for $2.79. It had a very large amount of seeds, compared to what I'm used to getting in a seed pack. The pic on the pack shows a somewhat pear-shaped tomato(fatter on the bottom, and ribbed at the top). The small green fruits are exhibiting that shape as well.

I bought a pack in Rome a few weeks ago. It is spelled Cuor di Bue, and the picture is also ribbed and pear shaped, but fatter on the top. The pack is pictured below. I have a few plants in the ground now.

May 31, 2012	#1
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	A few new Italian tomatoes I am growing this year... From a local CSA farmer who travels to Italy were shared seeds from two plum type varieties that he loves - indicates they are "Slow Food" varieties - Piennolo and Torre Canne. There isn't much info on them on the intertubes - anyone here know much about them or has experience with them? Thus far Piennolo is surprisingly potato leaf and is very early to set - and the tomatoes are indeed Roma shaped - it is indeterminate. Torre Canne is unusual in being one of the few varieties with no purple at all in the young stems. I think it may be a determinate in looking where and how the blossoms are forming - and wish I didn't prune away those early suckers! Then a chef friend whose parents went to Italy brought him seeds for Cour di Buie (I am familiar with that - assume it is a pink heart variety) - but also Sorrento and Tondino. So those three are growing as well - anyone know much about those last two? Nice vigorous young plants, now blossoming. __________________ Craig

June 2, 2012	#5
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	Well, I will save plenty of seeds....and likely ship a plant of each up your way next spring if they are good varieties that deserve your trial! __________________ Craig

June 25, 2012	#6
Fusion_power Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,250	I have 3 ripe Piennolo so far. As noted by Craig, they are potato leaf, roughly 1 ounce fruit with a few that might go 2 ounces. They are druplet pear shape with a distinctive nipple. most of them appear to have 2 seed locules. The tomatoes ripen to an orange color then gradually turn red over the next few days. This is consistent with descriptions of the rin gene (ripening inhibitor) which would also match the known characteristics of the variety being stored for several months in winter. Production per plant so far has been low and plant vigor is also low. Leaf cover is less than I would like, I am waiting to see if any of the fruit sunburn. I haven't eaten one yet, I want to see if flavor is as good as the description after a week or two of storage. I will also let a few ripen on the plants for comparison. The only other note I would make is that I should have several thousand seed at the end of the season. The pic below is exactly what my plants are producing. As a "by the way" piece of information, these plants exhibit a huge number of traceable recessive traits. They are PL (1 gene), pyriform shape (3 genes), nippled (1 gene), and 2 seed locules (1 gene) DarJones Last edited by Fusion_power; June 25, 2012 at 03:45 AM.

July 4, 2012	#7
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	We are about to pick our first Piennolo in a few days. Agree that it is not a very vigorous plant, and is unusual in being a PL plum type. I did taste a few when I saved seeds from them last year (my friend Alex, a local farmer, gave me some). The chefs who buy them like to make sun dried tomatoes from them. We also picked a Torre Canne - one ounce, round, red - I do think it is a determinate, since it didn't like being pruned and it really impacted the yield - also odd in being a rare variety with no purple shading/pigment in the young stem. Flavor very uninspiring - another better for sun drying/sauce making than fresh eating. __________________ Craig

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May 31, 2012	#2
Boutique Tomatoes Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Northeast Wisconsin, Zone 5a Posts: 1,109	I grew Tondino Maremmano last year, it was a red salad tomato about 1-2oz, but with all the rain and cool weather we had mine had a lot of splits and didn't have the best flavor. It's on my list to try again since last season wasn't a good one to evaluate new varieties, but my friends who like the salad tomatoes asked for "interesting and colorful" so it didn't make the cut for this years grow list. Pity, because this year so far is warm and dry so it would have been a good contrast if the weather keeps up like this.

June 1, 2012	#3
Father'sDaughter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: MA/NH Border Posts: 4,919	Sorrento is one of the only two varieties I'm growing again this year. Last year I had two plants, and while yield was very low, I did get a few large sized fruit at the beginning of the season. If I remember correctly, flavor was very good, a touch on the sweet side, but very "rich" and they were quite juicy.

July 6, 2012	#9
Douglas14 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Minnesota Posts: 602	Craig, I'm growing Cuore Di Bue.....from a seed pack that states "Authentic Italian Seed" distributed by Thompson & Morgan. The top of the seed pack is torn away, but I think it also had the name Vita Sementi on the pack(which may be a seed company name?). I bought it at a local greenhouse/nursery for $2.79. It had a very large amount of seeds, compared to what I'm used to getting in a seed pack. The pic on the pack shows a somewhat pear-shaped tomato(fatter on the bottom, and ribbed at the top). The small green fruits are exhibiting that shape as well.

July 14, 2012	#10
Fusion_power Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,250	I tried a few more of the Piennolo this evening. The difference is beyond belief. The tomatoes I ate 2 weeks ago were the earliest to ripen. I would have rated them as good tomatoes. The tomatoes I ate today were outstanding! Flavor would have gone 9.5 or maybe a tad higher. I could see picking a ton of these and making tomato sauce with them. They have thick skin which is the only thing I did not like about them. That is consistent with the description, the thick skin is what helps them keep for up to 9 months. One note, the tomatoes I ate today were vine ripened to a cherry red color. They were at the peak of ripeness. I suspect they will have to be fully ripened on the vine to reach condition where they will store long term. I also take back what I posted above. Don't let them ripen indoors for a couple of days, they taste best fresh from the vine when fully ripe. DarJones