![]() Purple Calabash - often compared to red wines such as Cabernet.Paul Robeson - of fairly recent popularity, Paul Robeson is getting good marks all around the country for its “smoky,” “complex” distinctive flavor.Here are the most popular of the highly rated black heirloom tomatoes: Four varieties of “black” heirloom tomatoes The flavor profile is often referred to as “smoky, complex and wine-like”. Black tomatoes tend to have an earthy, almost smoky sweetness to them, with a bit less acid than bright red tomatoes. While often referred to as “black” tomatoes, most of these heirloom tomato varieties are more of a maroon or purple-brown color. Often compared to a zinfandel wine.īlack (or dark purple) Heirloom Tomato Varieties: A complex flavor with an initial smokiness followed by a slightly sweet aftertaste. Cherokee Purple - sometimes included in the “black” category.Considered sweet, juicy and meaty does well in short-season areas Prudens Purple - another early Brandywine type.Pro is that it is earlier than Brandywine Caspian Pink - similar flavor profile to Brandywine, and frequently beats Brandywine in taste tests.Mortgage Lifter - known for its mild sweet flavor and meaty texture, this pink-fleshed beefsteak can tip the scale at two pounds.Depending on growing conditions, it can also be low-sugar, low-acid and fairly bland. Brandywine - a sweet tomato, offset by a notable acidity that achieves a balanced rich, succulent, old-fashioned home-grown tomato taste.Here are the most popular highly rated pink tomatoes: It has become the standard-bearer for the pinks, as it is a good size for slicing and typically has that blast of sweetness many people want in a tomato. The most well-known (not necessarily the best tasting) of the pink heirloom tomatoes is the Brandywine. The large pink tomatoes offer up what most of us think of as the sweetest tomato flavor - a balance of acid and sweetness., but favoring the sweeter side. How Color of Heirloom Tomatoes Relates to Flavor Differences Pink Heirloom Tomatoes: This is something to consider as you review the “flavor by color” information below. This means when people talk about a “high acid” tomato variety, they are actually referring to a tomato with a low sugar content.Īs a general rule, the sweetest tomato varieties are typically not bright red in color rather, they are shades of orange, yellow or purple. It’s really the sugar content that varies with different tomatoes. Many people refer to tomatoes as being high acid or low acid, but most tomato varieties have relatively the same acidity. Finally, flavor profiles of each variety are not only subjective to an individual’s taste buds, but the flavor of the same variety can be highly variable depending on growing conditions (heat, water, type & rate of fertilizer, number of growing days, etc.)Īcid vs Sweet in Heirloom Tomato Varieties (by color).In general the cherry tomatoes are sweet, the paste tomatoes are meaty and higher acid, and the plum tomatoes are juicy and mild. I have not included cherry tomatoes or plum & paste tomatoes, as they cannot be as easily grouped (and most of them are not heirlooms).Limmony and Hughs however is a yellow tomato that has a higher acid background, giving them a more robust flavor as opposed to mild and creamy. For example, pale yellow tomatoes tend to be mild and low-acid. The flavor profiles based on heirloom tomato color are generalizations only.Generally, if a tomato is said to be mealy, the texture is enough to detract from the flavor An important characteristic that plays into a tomato’s flavor is texture (aka “mouthfeel”).When a taste test review notes that the tomato has a “classic” or “old-fashioned flavor”, it is referring to a balance of acid and sugar in the tomato, getting as close to 50/50 as possible.Flavor profiles are based on what the tomato tastes like when eaten fresh, rather its flavor after cooking or preserving.Criteria for Determining Heirloom Tomato Flavor The list of flavor profiles below are based on our farm’s taste tests of the heirloom tomato varieties that we grow. ![]() We do taste tests in Minnesota every year, both at the farm and at the farmers’ market in St. Santa Clara County Master Gardener’s Guideīecause the flavor of heirloom tomatoes is so dependent on micro-climates and growing conditions, the most reliable taste tests are those that were trialed as close to your home and garden as possible.Some notable taste tests from other parts of the country include:
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