San Marzano disappointment

[Newbie]

Morning all,

After being patient all week, yesterday i picked my first ripe San Marzano tomato (quite a small one) and obviously ate it there & then in the Greenhouse . Now i haven't grown these before and decided to because they were labled as being fleshy, having few seeds & good for making sauces etc.

Well imagine my dissapointment when i discovered that it seemed to have no flavour at all, i expected the dryness as there was virtually no seeds in it as per description. I'm hopeing it miraculously develops a lovely flavour when made into sauce - anyone else growing these find the same?

Ooh and can anyone else recommend a "sauce" type tomato with a good flavour?

Thank you please xx

[hamster]

sorry to say

I was dissapointed with mine too, even worse mine were outside and only had 4 tomatoes of 4 plants, 3 of them had to be thrown away because something had eaten them. Next year I'm hoping to grow Inca an outdoor plum and 100 and 1000's the micro tomato for hanging baskets. I haven't got a greenhouse, and I think italian plums definately like warm and sunny!!
Once again not really been a tomato summer!!!!

[Snadger]

Just the opposite for me! In fact I was going to start a thread on the merits of growing San Marzano!

Mine are really strong healthy looking plants compared to my other varieties and the few that I've tasted have been very, very, tasty with what I can only describe as a 'smoked' flavour. They are strong flavoured and luscious.
I hope to keep some seeds from them for next year as I really am quite impressed!

[Newbie]

I may be a little premature with my dissapointment, as i say it was only the 1st ripened tomato and it was very small compared to the rest which are only semi ripened so far. They are in the greenhouse so should be warm enough and the plants are strong & heathy with large fruits, unlike my cherry tomatoes in the hanging baskets (out & indoors) which are quite sickly looking. However the cherry toms are delicious & were made into a huge pan of tomato & chilli soup last night!

[SarzWix]

After a few years of trying different types, San Marzano and Amish Paste are my main cooking tomatoes, with back-up from Roughwood Golden Plum, and Black Plum.

[Snadger]

After a few years of trying different types, San Marzano and Amish Paste are my main cooking tomatoes, with back-up from Roughwood Golden Plum, and Black Plum.

I think it was on your recommendation (among others) Sarz that I've grown both SM & AP this year. The Amish are doing well also!

[Uncle Albert]

I'll put a word in for Supersteak. Nicely flavoured, easy to peel, virtually no seeds & all "meat".

[chriscross1966]

SM does really need to be cooked.... My Black Krim beefsteaks do too.... they go from bland to magnificent.... Remember a pinch of sugar in anything with tomatoes in... really brings out the flavour.......

chrisc

[womble]

I picked a scatalone (a SM relation) the other day and ate it fresh, I was equally disapointed with the taste. But I was told also that I need to cook them.
But I am not happy about my SM, small harvest compared to other toms and late ripening.
As it turns out, my Purple Ukraine have turned out to be much better tomatoes for earlier ripening and they made a damn good sauce the other day. They also taste nice fresh.

[bramble]

San Marzano and Roma would be my recommendations. I have grown these outdoors for several years and have had great results.

[sewer rat]

Just the opposite for me! In fact I was going to start a thread on the merits of growing San Marzano!

Mine are really strong healthy looking plants compared to my other varieties and the few that I've tasted have been very, very, tasty with what I can only describe as a 'smoked' flavour. They are strong flavoured and luscious.
I hope to keep some seeds from them for next year as I really am quite impressed!

Mine too - I have twelve SM plants - all have now reached the top of the tunnel (about 12') and have loads of gorgeous big fruits that I have been picking for about a month now. They are not the tidiest looking tomato plant but the fruit is ace - not just for cooking but for slicing into sandwiches too - lots of meat and very little juice - just what I want in my piecebag

[moby-gardener]

Sadly, I'm gradually losing all my San Marzano, and most of my other varieties, to the dreaded blight. The only variety that seems to be resistant is Red Pear but no sign of ripening yet - a very slow year

Mo