Giallorosso di Crispiano Storage Tomato Seeds

The Crispiano storage tomato, known locally as Giallorosso di Crispiano, is a traditional heirloom from the town of Crispiano in the province of Taranto, Puglia. It has been grown for generations as a pomodoro da serbo, the category of long-keeping tomatoes that allowed families to enjoy fresh fruit through the winter before refrigeration.

The plants are medium in size and can show some variation in habit. They are fairly drought tolerant once established, and are known for good resistance to splitting and mildew. In cooler or shorter-season climates they may need protection to ensure full ripening.

The fruits are small to medium, round to slightly flattened, with a skin that is thick and durable. Their colour is distinctive: a golden yellow base often streaked or flushed with red, giving the name giallorosso, “yellow-red.” The flesh is dense and firm, with a flavour that is more acidic than sweet, carrying the classic tomato sharpness rather than the sugary taste of many modern salad tomatoes. This makes them excellent for cooking, sauces, and traditional breads, while still enjoyable fresh.

Harvest in Puglia takes place from late July into September. For storage, fruit are cut in clusters once they have coloured but before becoming overripe. After picking, they are often left to cure briefly in shade to toughen the skin before being stored. Their storability comes from the combination of a thick skin, firm flesh, and the way they are handled. In Crispiano, families traditionally wove the fruit clusters into braids or garlands, called nzerte or reste, and hung them under eaves or in shaded, ventilated porticoes. Others stored them in wooden crates in cool cellars. The best conditions are around ten to fourteen degrees Celsius, with low humidity and steady airflow. Under these circumstances the fruit will often keep three to four months, and in some cases into January, supplying fresh tomatoes through the winter. If the storage space is too warm or humid, spoilage comes much faster.

In the kitchen, the Crispiano tomato is versatile. It is eaten fresh in salads, paired with local bread such as frise, cooked into sauces, made into conserves, or preserved in oil. Because the flavour is distinctly acidic and the flesh keeps its structure, it is especially valued in savoury dishes where a bright tomato flavour is wanted. Families in Puglia continue to use it as both a fresh winter tomato and a base for traditional recipes.