Tomato Flavor Question - need input!

[SharonRossy]

Just wondering about anyone's experience with Costoluto Genovese. I have many seedlings and before I kill myself transplanting and becoming attached to them, are they worth it? Recently read some reviews and they were not very positive. As I am growing Cuore di Bue and many many other tomatoes, I just wanted to know how others have fared with CG.
Many thanks,
Sharon

[feldon30]

I've never heard anyone get excited about the flavor of Costoluto Genovese. Only the shape.

[KarenO]

depends what you use them for I think. (I am assuming you are speaking of the deeply fluted tomato by this name?) they are pretty sliced fresh as they look a bit like a flower but they are maddening to peel if you plan to use them for cooked recipes. I've grown it and it wasn't a favorite mainly for this reason. they tasted fine, not outstanding as I recall but a nice traditional tomatoey flavor. I won't grow it again but that was my experience only.
KO

[tlintx]

No personal experience yet, but I actually read that they were wonderful for sauces. At the end of the summer, we buy a huge lot of vaguely Roma-shaped tomatoes, usually from the Mexican outdoor market in Houston, and process into what we call "canned tomatoes". Which means blanching, peeling, milling, canning; the end result is basically tomato sauce. Delicious, delicious, makes everything yummier sauce. :drool:

Anyway, I picked Costoluto Genovese as my attempt at replacing some of those boughten tomatoes this year. It's hard to get more than a ballpark idea of what it'll be like out of my garden, with my soil and my climate, but I'm pretty excited (lol, so there's one!). I have to take into account how "conventional" the tomato is, also, as I am slowly introducing my MIL to heirlooms.

I have no idea what kind of production I'll get out of my late starts this season, but it's one of the major varieties I have planned for my fall garden.

[Coach_h]

I grew several last year among many other types. They were very productive throughout the season, even in the heat. Taste was ok, but I found them almost impossible to peel. I wound up putting them through the colander, skin and all, and making sauce with them. They are neat looking, but I'm not growing them this year.

[Father'sDaughter]

They are definitely not an eating tomato. They did produce well and many went into my sauce pot, and some were sliced and dried.

[SharonRossy]

Ok, thx. That was basically what I've been reading. So that saves me some work! I'll concentrate on Cuore Di Bue and others. I'm really growing them for eating rather than sauce, so that takes care of that. And if I wanted to make sauce I definitely don't want a tomato that is so hard to peel!