Belmonte Tomato

The "giant" tomato of Belmonte, originally from the Americas, was brought to Italy at the beginning of the twentieth century by Guglielmo Mercurio, an emigrant from the Calabrian town who returned from the United States. The particular climate and the territorial conformation made the product assume, with the passage of time, the characteristics that distinguish it today.

The Belmonte tomato,  for its characteristic asymmetrical shape, is the most appreciated by consumers because it has a thin skin, a compact internal structure, a firm-lumpy pulp and a bright pink color. Unlike other tomatoes it ripens from the inside out, from this characteristic and from the fact that it has very few seeds derives its particular sweetness. In the "giant" variant that has a diameter greater than or equal to the longitudinal one, more marked ribs and typical shape of the salad tomato, it reaches enormous dimensions ranging from 400 gr., to 1.5 kg, some specimens can even exceed 3 kg. It seems evident that it is nicknamed "the giant" because of its size. 

The tomato from Belmonte has very few calories. It is rich in water and lowfat. It is ideal for those who are following a low-calorie diet. It contains a substantial amount of vitamins and minerals. It is rich in vitamins A and C,  and  to those belonging to the vitamin B and E groups. It can prevent many diseases that are caused due to high blood pressure. In the kitchen, the tomato from Belmonte Calabro lends itself wonderfully to the preparation of tasty and fresh salads which is why this fruit is also called “pomodoro insalataro”.  

Another option is to cut the Belmonte tomato into slices and place it on fairly large flat platter, then season it all with extra virgin olive oil, coarse salt, oregano, hot pepper flakes and slices of red onion. It can be compared to bringing a steak to the table, but in a fresh, light, and vegetarian version.