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Re: Crunchy Tomatoes?
Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2024 2:41 pm
by karstopography
bower wrote: ↑Fri Sep 06, 2024 2:06 pm
If you want to try a cross that isn't overly firm, how about Pink Berkeley Tie Dye.
Beautiful to look at, with a unique and excellent taste, but must be eaten on the same day it becomes ripe, or softens to a puddle.
I regret to say that, granted my growing conditions are somewhat unique for a tomato, Mt. Gem took forever to ripen (by local standards), and after a very long wait and deep red color, I still found them too firm for my liking. Made a fine sauce with some others, however.
Pink Berkeley Tie Dye has been on my radar. I might still grow PBTD in 2025. I’ve put PBTD on my 2025 list and taken it off a few times now. Currently, I have Belle Du College in that slot. I understood PBTD and BDC have a common ancestor. I also have Black Beauty on my 2025 list and PBTD is a reported parent of BB.
Even my eight “experimental” new to me types on the 2025 list are mostly stabilized crosses of famous name heirlooms, one or both parents. Vorlon is an example, Pruden’s Purple X Cherokee Purple. Not exactly going out on a limb on that one am I. Or Rebel Yell, SOTW X Bear Claw, seems relatively safe to me. Eight, as far as I know, true heirloom types or selections of heirloom types and eight modern stabilized crosses of mostly famous name heirloom types, this is my 2025 grow out list in a nutshell. Very little true mystery fruit is in the plans or desired.
People had many decades and maybe even centuries to perfect and refine particular tomato cultivars. Maybe I’m skeptical about more than a few of the recent crosses seemingly being based on pretty looks alone, or maybe going in directions that I don’t find appealing like the extra firm texture. Another Creamsicle Grape is what I’m trying to avoid and I don’t know the parentage of that one. All but three of my sixteen 2025 grow out list tomatoes I know are either old time heirlooms, therefore, proven or children of proven varieties. Two of the remaining three I know of one of the parents. One tomato I know of neither parent.
Re: Crunchy Tomatoes?
Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2024 7:46 pm
by bower
If I had to blind taste test Cherokee Purple, Indian Stripe, and Vorlon, I might not tell them apart. Very similar taste and texture, but fruit shape and growth habit were different, I suspect there are others very similar too, but better suited to one climate or another. PBTD stood out as different tasting, in the blacks.
Sounds like you have a great lineup for 2025!
Now and then, even I have to have a "no mysteries" year. It's a good thing.
Re: Crunchy Tomatoes?
Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2024 9:59 pm
by Shule
karstopography wrote: ↑Fri Sep 06, 2024 2:41 pm
bower wrote: ↑Fri Sep 06, 2024 2:06 pm
If you want to try a cross that isn't overly firm, how about Pink Berkeley Tie Dye.
Beautiful to look at, with a unique and excellent taste, but must be eaten on the same day it becomes ripe, or softens to a puddle.
I regret to say that, granted my growing conditions are somewhat unique for a tomato, Mt. Gem took forever to ripen (by local standards), and after a very long wait and deep red color, I still found them too firm for my liking. Made a fine sauce with some others, however.
Pink Berkeley Tie Dye has been on my radar. I might still grow PBTD in 2025. I’ve put PBTD on my 2025 list and taken it off a few times now. Currently, I have Belle Du College in that slot. I understood PBTD and BDC have a common ancestor. I also have Black Beauty on my 2025 list and PBTD is a reported parent of BB.
Even my eight “experimental” new to me types on the 2025 list are mostly stabilized crosses of famous name heirlooms, one or both parents. Vorlon is an example, Pruden’s Purple X Cherokee Purple. Not exactly going out on a limb on that one am I. Or Rebel Yell, SOTW X Bear Claw, seems relatively safe to me. Eight, as far as I know, true heirloom types or selections of heirloom types and eight modern stabilized crosses of mostly famous name heirloom types, this is my 2025 grow out list in a nutshell. Very little true mystery fruit is in the plans or desired.
People had many decades and maybe even centuries to perfect and refine particular tomato cultivars. Maybe I’m skeptical about more than a few of the recent crosses seemingly being based on pretty looks alone, or maybe going in directions that I don’t find appealing like the extra firm texture. Another Creamsicle Grape is what I’m trying to avoid and I don’t know the parentage of that one. All but three of my sixteen 2025 grow out list tomatoes I know are either old time heirlooms, therefore, proven or children of proven varieties. Two of the remaining three I know of one of the parents. One tomato I know of neither parent.
Pink Berkeley Tie Dye was a very soft and juicy tomato for me, too. Black Beauty, on the other hand, was quite firm and had smaller fruits than Pink Berkeley Tie Dye (they were still a decent medium-large size, though). I grew them in different locations, though.
Re: Crunchy Tomatoes?
Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2024 5:05 am
by rossomendblot
PBTD is one of the best tasting tomatoes I've tried, it's definitely worth a grow.
Re: Crunchy Tomatoes?
Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2024 10:36 am
by seanm
As for a modern variety that is *not* crunchy, I highly reccommend Mountain Rouge. I had another great season from it this year, and in fact is one of 3 that is still producing big beefsteaks despite various pathogens finally doing in most of my other plants. Largely round-ish pink beefsteak with small core, minimal cracking, great taste and texture, very healthy vines, and quite productive.
Veering off topic, but the other 2 still cranking are a grafted Brandywine (first time doing grafted, and it worked out great!), and Soldacki (another first, and it knocked it out of the park this year, best for earliness, production, and great taste).
Re: Crunchy Tomatoes?
Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2024 11:08 am
by Labradors
@Shule wrote:
Maglia Rosa is about as far from crunchy as it gets in my experience. It wasn't firm for me, either. Pretty soft. It was nothing like Purple Bumble Bee there. I'm pretty sure @Labradors will agree that Maglia Rosa is not crunchy.
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'tis true that Maglia Rosa is not at all crunchy. It's my favourite, although surpassed for flavour recently by Taste Patio, also not crunchy as I cannot stand crunchy tomatoes.
OTOH, I found both Purple BB and Green Bee extremely crunchy.
Re: Crunchy Tomatoes?
Posted: Wed Sep 18, 2024 3:55 pm
by Horna
I think a hollow tomato like Douchoua Pepper Tomato would be good crunchy
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