Russian Big Roma... Wow!

marc_groleau · July 21, 2012

All winter long, I checked with this site and so many others to get a feedback on various varieties so I could decide what I would try to grow in 2012. Sound familiar? I love sauce and alway grow more sauce tomatoes than dinner plate varieties. Anyway, one variety got only average scores from most folks was Russian Big Roma. All I can say is what a beauty. A paste tomato many of which are from baseball size to larger. All on an indeterminate plant that is sturdy and vigorous. Oh man! This is going to be in my garden every year for sure! I haven't taste it yet but I don't expect delectable taste from a paste tomato anyway.

**carolyn137** · July 21, 2012

http://t.tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Russian_Big_Roma

From a recent thread here about variety names I know that it drives Tania nuts when there is no origoinal name to go by so she can track it.

But if it's a good one, that's a plus as I see it.

LEt us know how the taste compares to other paste tomatoes you've grown/

kygreg · July 22, 2012

Am growing it for the first time this year; also Lurley's Paste, Giant African Pink Paste, and Rocky (which I am not sure is a paste).

marc_groleau · July 22, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by kygreg

Am growing it for the first time this year; also Lurley's Paste, Giant African Pink Paste, and Rocky (which I am not sure is a paste).

How's the RBR coming along for you?

kygreg · July 22, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by marc_groleau

How's the RBR coming along for you?

Just now getting the first green fruit; plant date was May 9. If I remember will post comment later on this summer.

lakelady · July 25, 2012

sounds like a good sauce tomato! How is it with regards to BER?

kygreg · July 25, 2012

So far not a problem for me. The only variety I am having BER problems with thus far is Giant Valentine.

kygreg · July 25, 2012

Here is a pic of Giant African Pink Paste. Don't think it's going to be as large as RBR.

MarinaRussian · July 26, 2012

If it's going to be red, thin skin and if it tastes really good, it might be Kenigsberg

marc_groleau · July 26, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarinaRussian

If it's going to be red, thin skin and if it tastes really good, it might be Kenigsberg

I've got one that is nearly ripe. I'll be posting photos of the sliced fruit and I'll let you know what I think about taste etc.

marc_groleau · August 2, 2012

Finally getting ripe ones. This is one is among the larger class. I would say about one third of the fruit on 10 plants is about this size. One third are about 6 OZ. and the other about 4 OZ.
No BER or any other issues.
The regular Romas in the last photo are among the largest of those 10 plants. The taste is comparable as is the meatiness (very meaty) and the same juiciness (not juicy). The taste is similar to most Roma or other paste tomatoes. The taste eaten raw does not wow you. It taste like a rather mild, fresh tomato and is neither acid or sweet. All in all it taste like a paste tomato. My experience has been that a tomato or any fruit destined for cooking should not be overly sweet or tart. The cooking is what brings out the flavors. Once, I bet my wife I could bake an apple pie that was better than hers. I thought the secret was to use the sweetest apples I could find. That's what I did and it turned out that the sweetest apples when raw, are the blandest apples when cooked.
Anyway, these Russian Big Roma paste tomatos are large, productive and come from awsome and somewhat disease resistant inderminate plants.
they'll be in my gardem again next year for sure!

Russian Big Romas

Regular Romas

marc_groleau · August 3, 2012

Lots more where this came from. Can't wait to start making and canning sauce.

July 21, 2012	#1
marc_groleau Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 444	Russian Big Roma... Wow! All winter long, I checked with this site and so many others to get a feedback on various varieties so I could decide what I would try to grow in 2012. Sound familiar? I love sauce and alway grow more sauce tomatoes than dinner plate varieties. Anyway, one variety got only average scores from most folks was Russian Big Roma. All I can say is what a beauty. A paste tomato many of which are from baseball size to larger. All on an indeterminate plant that is sturdy and vigorous. Oh man! This is going to be in my garden every year for sure! I haven't taste it yet but I don't expect delectable taste from a paste tomato anyway.

July 21, 2012	#2
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	http://t.tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Russian_Big_Roma From a recent thread here about variety names I know that it drives Tania nuts when there is no origoinal name to go by so she can track it. But if it's a good one, that's a plus as I see it. LEt us know how the taste compares to other paste tomatoes you've grown/ __________________ Carolyn

July 25, 2012	#6
lakelady Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: northern NJ zone 6b Posts: 1,862	sounds like a good sauce tomato! How is it with regards to BER? __________________ Antoniette

August 2, 2012	#11
marc_groleau Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 444	Finally getting ripe ones. This is one is among the larger class. I would say about one third of the fruit on 10 plants is about this size. One third are about 6 OZ. and the other about 4 OZ. No BER or any other issues. The regular Romas in the last photo are among the largest of those 10 plants. The taste is comparable as is the meatiness (very meaty) and the same juiciness (not juicy). The taste is similar to most Roma or other paste tomatoes. The taste eaten raw does not wow you. It taste like a rather mild, fresh tomato and is neither acid or sweet. All in all it taste like a paste tomato. My experience has been that a tomato or any fruit destined for cooking should not be overly sweet or tart. The cooking is what brings out the flavors. Once, I bet my wife I could bake an apple pie that was better than hers. I thought the secret was to use the sweetest apples I could find. That's what I did and it turned out that the sweetest apples when raw, are the blandest apples when cooked. Anyway, these Russian Big Roma paste tomatos are large, productive and come from awsome and somewhat disease resistant inderminate plants. they'll be in my gardem again next year for sure! Russian Big Romas Regular Romas Last edited by marc_groleau; August 2, 2012 at 09:25 PM.

July 22, 2012	#3
kygreg Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: kentucky Posts: 1,019	Am growing it for the first time this year; also Lurley's Paste, Giant African Pink Paste, and Rocky (which I am not sure is a paste).

July 26, 2012	#9
MarinaRussian Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Russia Posts: 176	If it's going to be red, thin skin and if it tastes really good, it might be Kenigsberg

August 3, 2012	#12
marc_groleau Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 444	Lots more where this came from. Can't wait to start making and canning sauce.