🍅 Quick take: Piedmont Flask is a late-season, indeterminate heirloom tracing its roots back to Northern Italy. It produces unique, large bottle-shaped fruits weighing up to 14 oz (400 g). Like many classic Italian paste types, it has dense meat and a balanced flavor, making it excellent for dehydrating. However, growers in shorter or cooler climates may struggle to ripen it on the vine. Keep in mind that counter-ripened fruits may develop a hard white core and have a shorter shelf life due to neck rot. Full summary ↓
Growers’ Notes and Photos (USDA Zone 4)
Piedmont Flask. Seeds from Zolushka.
Indeterminate. Late-season. Really cool bottle-shaped fruits.
In my climate, they don’t ripen on the vine, so I have to pick them green and ripen them indoors.
The largest “bottle” weighed in around 14 oz (400 g).
The counter-ripened ones don’t hold up well in storage at all—the necks start to rot. Plus, even after ripening indoors, they still have a hard white core inside.
Despite all that, it’s a very interesting variety. The flavor is your classic, old-fashioned tomato taste—not overly sweet, but not acidic either. Yields were average. They are absolutely perfect for dehydrating (making sun-dried tomatoes).
Edited September 10 by Uriahp
Full Summary: Plant, Yield, Taste, and Looks
- 🌍 Origin & History: An Italian heirloom hailing from the Piedmont region of Northern Italy. Like many traditional Mediterranean varieties, it was bred specifically for its dense, meaty flesh, making it a staple for drying and preserving.
- 🌿 Plant & Looks: An indeterminate, late-season variety known for its distinctive bottle or flask shape. It requires a long, warm growing season to fully ripen on the vine.
- 📈 Yield & Quirks: Produces average yields, with the largest fruits reaching about 14 oz (400 g). A major drawback for short-season growers is that fruits picked green for indoor ripening tend to develop a hard white core and are prone to rotting at the neck, severely limiting their shelf life.
- 👅 Taste & Use: Features a classic, old-fashioned tomato profile—perfectly balanced between sweet and acidic. Because of its dense, meaty texture and low moisture content, it shines best when used for dehydrating or making authentic sun-dried tomatoes.
