Principe Borghese

[Winemaker]

I was sold by the thought of dehydrating these small Italian plum/cherry tomatoes. The ad said most every home or farm in Italy grows and dries these. Just curious if others have grown and dried them.

[MrBig46]

I cultivated and dried Principe Borghes in 2014. Dried seemed better than fresh, and I ate it immediately after drying. Next year I grew similar tomato Pienollo del Vesuvio (with potato leaf), which I liked more.
Vladimír

[edweather]

Yes, we grew them for a couple of years back in the late 90s. We sliced them and used a dehydrator. They were delicious.

[Father'sDaughter]

By "drying" they actually mean pull the whole plant at the end of the season, tomatoes and all, and hang it upside down in a barn. If you're looking for good tomatoes to put in a dehydrator and make "sun dried" tomatoes, don't bother with them -- they are small and seedy. I found them not worth the time and effort.

Meaty plums and pastes actually make a better dried tomato.

Brokenbar (Mary) sold dried tomatoes to restaurants before retiring to Mexico. Many of us have used her list as the starting point -- http://tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=20850

[Father'sDaughter]

Or, here's an alternative to hanging the whole plant -- https://youtu.be/13buMC5eE5A

If I had the room to grow a lot of plants and the right conditions to keep them in, I would definitely try this.

[MrBig46]

To hang tomatoes like this. they need the fruits to have the characteristics they have when grown on soil around the Mount Vesuvius. I tried it for three years and the result was pitiful. I never read that someone outside the area around Naples made pienollo and tomatoes lasted until March next year. Maybe somebody speak up? I wonder it.
Vladimír

[Father'sDaughter]

Did you ever try just leaving them on the plant and pulling up then hanging the whole plant in a cellar or barn? I remember once seeing a video of a visit to a storage room/cantina where they had all the plants hanging and they would pick off the tomatoes as needed.

[MrBig46]

Nowhere has I seen anyone hang the whole Principe Borghes plant. I tried to tie them up like they did in Italy- Pienollo. Next year I let them hang in a shed. I was not satisfied with the results.
Vadimír

[JRinPA]

I grew them a few years back. They were very productive. They tasted pretty awful, fresh. Not much better dehydrated, to me, but I don't think I am much for dried tomatoes. The best dried tomatoes for me are sweet cherries.

[edweather]

deleted post.

[ac21686]

Question about this tomato as I know there can be slightly different strains/variations. A few years back I got seeds from Baker Creek for PB and they were rounded, no nipple end. I did not dry them as they're known for, but ate them fresh and they had a full, classic tomato flavor with some sweetness. This season my uncle purchased them from Franchi Seeds and they had the nipple end. These tomatoes have been, IMO, terrible fresh - somewhat mealy, bland. I've picked them at multiple stages of ripeness hoping that maybe I'm not picking them properly, but the flavor has been non-existent every time. They also seem to go soft very quickly. Is this typical of this variety? It could just be a bad season for them, but we've had a hot, dry season that the rest of the tomatoes have loved.

[JRinPA]

I found the second description to be typical. Nipple, mealy, bland.



You sure the PB you got from baker creek wasn't Pink Bumblebee!? LOL.


MrBig's pics above look correct for the principe borg seed I got from Tormato in one of the swaps.

[Shrinkrap]

I have two plants this year and they are doing well. I'd love to preserve some. I've been "sun drying".

[Master Shake]

I am trying some Principe Borghese this year also, but if they aren't the best what would you guys say is THE BEST drying tomato you have ever grown?

Maybe if i can create a list of peoples favourite drying tomatoes i can create a poll for some fun in the future.

[JRinPA]

I tried them with dehydrator; if they were supposed to be hung like mentioned above, I did not get that memo. Maybe they are better that way. They are very prolific and long lasting on the vine, I'll give them that.