Lycopersicon, Heirloom Tomato 'Thessaloniki'

We grew this tomato for the first time last summer. As you know if you live anywhere in northern California, it was an extremely hot summ...Read Moreer--many days over100, even more days of intense smoke. This plant just thrived, it was our only tomato that didn't wilt or suffer any leaf damage. And still bore luscious fruit well into October. We're planning on growing two this year! (Never enough tomatoes!)

This is a very productive and tasty tomato. I grow lots of heirlooms, but not every one every year. However I do grow Thessaloniki every ...Read Moreyear because I know I will have lots of good tomatoes from this one. I think it is pretty outstanding in the red tomato category. I don't remember it cracking like some heirlooms do.

Expected baseball size orbs, but got elongated paste shaped (although that is what Sand Hill Preservation did describe - should have paid...Read More more attention). Just getting red at 8 weeks or so. Short plant.
It may well be fine, but not what i expected. Are there two strains of thessaloniki, a baseball and a paste?

I grew four plants last year (2010) and they were the winner of all the varieties I grew for hardiness and taste.

Other v...Read Morearieties grown were Lemon Boy, Brandywine, Amish Paste, Rutgers, Early Girl, Better Boy, Pineapple, San Marzano, Sweet Millions, Yellow Pear, and a couple of others...

Everyone who tried them said they had the best flavor they'd ever had in a tomato.

I grow all organically and I think that helps. There were no pest problems at all. Generally clusters of 4 to 5 fruit about 6-8 oz each... Cooked up into delicious sauce, great for eating out of hand straight, no salt... at least that's what I heard. I don't like tomatoes raw!