"Greek tomatoes"?

[bazzaboy]

A friend who’s keen on Greece has asked me if I can grow some “greek tomatoes” (will be next year now, nothing like forward planning!) so she can recreate various memorable holiday dishes….. Summer weather in North Notts is very similar to Greece, for example today in North Notts it’s officially described as “Cloudy, cool and wet, with extensive hill fog and persistent occasionally heavy rain, soon becoming windy, risk of blustery thundery showers…” Spot the difference. On varieties Santorini seems a likely one but reports of attempts to grow in the UK are not encouraging, heritage “Oxheart” has been suggested but similarly sounds a rambling liability. Online recipes claiming Greek authenticity don’t seem to specify any particular variety but maybe there are specialist importers? Or easier to go to Greece?
Comments and suggestions welcome. bb.

[Thelma Sanders]

While I was in Greece I grew 'Thessaloniki' and you can buy seed in the UK, e-bay and other places.

VEGETABLE TOMATO THESSALONIKI 75 FINEST SEEDS | eBay

It does well in a hot summer (or greenhouse) it doesn't much like wind and rain, which you would expect, considering where it comes from

[Mr Bones]

I grow Oxheart outside in a sheltered spot. It tends to fork but can't say as it rambles. It's a lovely beef tom with very little tough central core.

[MarkPelican]

If you go here: Category:Greek Tomatoes - Tatiana's TOMATOBase there is a subset of the tomatoes on Tatiana's database that claim to originate from Greece.

However, here in South Notts, I struggle to get Italian varieties to do well (never deliberately tried Greek but you get the idea). Any reason as to why they would be specially different?

[bazzaboy]

Thanks for that detailed resource, MarkP, amazing details...! I suppose the reason why "specially different" is purely the taste experience of locally grown Greek dishes but agree many southern Italian varieties should be similar. I'm sure the difference is the climate as much as the variety: grey and raining again here in Notts today, radishes and brassicas think it's rather good, horses for courses! bb.

[vixylix]

^^^ I agree - I don't think they'll ever taste quite the same as those grown in the mediterranean - no matter what seeds you use!