America’s Favorite Tomatoes
(Page 3 of 7)
February/March 2008
By Barbara Pleasant
Rounding out our fab four is ‘Amish Paste’ (79 to 85 days), an heirloom from Wisconsin described by Nashville, Tenn., gardener Tracy Carter as “a great paste tomato that’s heat tolerant and good for fresh cooking.” Although it is sometimes labeled as an indeterminate, ‘Amish Paste’ produces a huge concentrated set of orange-red fruits, followed by a few more fruit clusters in good seasons.
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When it comes to the main crop of summer tomatoes, people like Brookeville, Md., gardener Susan Belsinger are devoted to ‘Brandywine’ (78 days). “It produces all summer, though not in huge quantities. I like the size, flavor and texture of this Amish heirloom,” Belsinger says. Others praise ‘Brandywine’s’ rich balance of acidic and sweet notes, which pleases so many palates that it’s always the one to beat in taste tests. But ‘Brandywine’ can be challenging to grow; common problems include diseases, uneven ripening, fruit cracking and aborted blossoms due to humid heat.
More dependable varieties that deliver huge, juicy fruits include ‘Big Rainbow’ (90 days), an orange tomato with red streaks and blotches inside that give each slice a stained glass look. In Berea, Ky., Bill Best reports that ‘Big Rainbow’ shows good disease resistance, and master gardener David Woods, of Peters Seed and Research in Riddle, Ore., says that the 16- to 20-ounce fruits are worth the wait.
Both Male and Hail nominated another gold/red bicolor variety for our list. Hail says that ‘Lucky Cross’ (90 days) “literally melts in your mouth,” and Male thinks it’s the best bicolor tomato she has ever grown. With ‘Brandywine’ as one of its parents, ‘Lucky Cross’ is mostly orange with a glowing red heart.
So-called black tomatoes are really purplish, and their complex, smoky flavor often is associated with these dark fruit pigments. Although it’s a modest producer under the best conditions, ‘Cherokee Purple’ (80 days) is quickly forgiven by thousands of gardeners who are addicted to its fruity, yet rich, tomato flavor. Released through the Seed Savers Exchange in 1991, ‘Cherokee Purple’ often appears in the top three taste test varieties, neck and neck with ‘Sungold’ and ‘Brandywine.’
A deep purple color, inside or out, is a common hallmark of Russian heirloom varieties like ‘Black Krim’ (69 to 90 days). Wade Collins, farm field leader at the Seeds of Change Research Farm in San Juan Pueblo, N.M., names ‘Black Krim’ as his favorite “for pure gastronomic pleasure,” noting hints of wine and saltiness in its flavor. In Oregon, Woods thinks ‘Black Krim’ carries a taste of honey. Compared to ‘Cherokee Purple,’ ‘Black Krim’ is more productive and less prone to cracking. However, both of these gourmet picks should be harvested just as they become ripe, and then eaten within a few days before they turn soft.
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