The
tomato of choice for
tomato sauce,
salsa and for making
sun-dried tomatoes. This is because plum tomatoes have more
flesh and fewer
seeds than your normal, round tomato. There's probably a bit of history too since they were cultivated in
Italy for a long time.
A good plum tomato is probably about 3 inches long and just over 1 inch in diameter around its largest point. It's actually more pear-shaped than plum-shaped, the plum probably refers more to the size. The best have been vine-ripened in warm sun, and are bursting with sweet, yet tangy and aromatic, flavor.
Besides the above uses, plum tomatoes are also very good in various salads, often holding up better than the regular kind of tomato.