Big Mama tomatoes

[OaklandCityFarmer]

. . . I am hoping to find the term "fresh salsa" here . . .

Does someone have a preference for the use of one of these varieties fresh?

Steve

I just posted some varieties on the other thread about salsa. . .

Black Krim, Black from Tula, and Japanese Black Trifele.

These should be ok in your area, Steve, since they are relatively early-mid season varieties.

 

[Ridgerunner]

No real preference for me. I mainly grow the paste tomatoes for the volume and mix in whatever other varieties I have ripe at the time for the flavor.

I almost said heirloom for flavor but that would be incorrect. I find some of the heirloom varieties, yellow pear for example, as practically flavorless. Of course taste is individual. I have a friend that thinks the yellow pear tomatoes are delicious. Personally, I'd rather eat the Big Mama or San Marzano fresh rather than Yellow Pear.

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

No real preference for me. I mainly grow the paste tomatoes for the volume and mix in whatever other varieties I have ripe at the time for the flavor.

I almost said heirloom for flavor but that would be incorrect. I find some of the heirloom varieties, yellow pear for example, as practically flavorless. Of course taste is individual. I have a friend that thinks the yellow pear tomatoes are delicious. Personally, I'd rather eat the Big Mama or San Marzano fresh rather than Yellow Pear.

It's often you'll see me sitting on the deck with a big bowl of Yellow and Red Pear and just eating away. I have to agree with your friend, they are delicious. I'll ship you a box of ours to taste

 

[digitS']

I am trying not to hijack either thread but still encourage responses. i hope that's okay . . .

Yellow Pear will split something terrible for me! Red Pear does just fine.

I won't be able to get those black tomatoes past my wife. Individual tastes, as you said RR. She wanted to try Black Cherries this year - never having eaten a black tomato. I knew, knew, knew that she wouldn't like them but kept quiet and grew 4 or 5 plants. Nope! She didn't even want me bringing them in . . .

I grow Lunch Box most years. It makes fairly good salsa but seems real variable taste-wise. Some years Lunch Box is wonderful but in cool years, it doesn't seem to develop much flavor. It would probably be okay as a paste tomato during its best year.

I grew Viva Italia once but that was because I thought it could substitute for Lunch Box as a saladette. I just don't grow tomatoes for sauce . . .

Steve

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

The biggest issue we've had in the past with Yellow Pear is disease susceptibility, they seem to have a low tolerance to most issues and even though we've tried to carry over only healthy plants to seed, the problems can come and go.

Black Cherry is similar to Tula, Prince, and even Krim. I would try the Trifele, it's VERY different in regards to taste with a more salty and savory flavor than the others. It's the only tomato that my SO will eat!

What about Amana Orange? It's a bit of a longer season but goes well with salsa

 

[GrowsLotsaPeppers]

The ONLY paste tomato that we have been growing now consistently for the last 5 years is the Amish Paste. We got some seeds from Seed Savers Exchange a few years back and have been using that same stock ever since.

They are one of the biggest paste tomatoes you'll get out there! No core, low seeds, good balance of acidity and sweetness, and very meaty. Usually you'll get 8-12 oz fruits with a large number of fruits per plant.

I highly recommend.

So do I. San Marsnos work well, too. So do Romas, but they're not as sexy, or quite as good.

We're 15 miles east of Oakland, CA.

 

[RickF]

I grew some roma's in the backyard of a house we now rent out .. We had perhaps 10-12 plants.. Oh .. my .. gosh.. I've never had that MANY tomato's at one time!! We ended up making them into tomato sauce using that kitchen tool that removes the seeds/skin.. It was a great adventure and we had a lot of fun going out day after day coming in with basket after basket of tomato's -- gave lots away!

I've got a ~10x5 raised bed garden filled with weeds that hasn't been used in >3 years since we remodeled.. It was fun while it was running!

Now that I'm slowly recovering from foot surgery done last November (heel spur removal + Achilles tendon repair), I slowly getting around more and more and can try to get the backyard into some semblance of usability -- right now only the chickens are running the place!