My first few big league tomatoes for 2007

[nctomatoman]

Here is a fruit from a variety someone in central NC sent me (seeds thru the mail last winter), he called it a German tomato and the best he tasted. This one comes in at 16 ounces - can't decide if it is a slightly unripe pink, or has a tendency to be bicolor (with the 90 plus degree weather we've had, development of pigments is affected). Also, a 14 ounce Lillian's Heirloom - and a soon to be picked 16-20 ounce Cherokee Purple that is oh, so close....

[Suze]

Craig, how did the "German" tomato taste?

Your weather has been warmer than mine this entire season, strangely enough. I think someone upstairs got TX mixed up with NC this year!

[Grub]

Nice looking biggies.

I too am interested in the taste of the German one.

Only german I know is: Ach du meine Gott!

Perhaps that's apt?

[nctomatoman]

It is actually quite wonderful! Size range is from 8-16 ounces, with most in the 12-16 ounce range. Productivity is very good, is fighting off disease very well - yield will be probably 20 pounds or more for the plant. The larger ones tend to be quite oblate, but smooth, not ridged. Color is a mid to pale pink, with light red flesh - though color development this year is challenging due to the incredible heat. Very small seed locules spread throughout the slice. Texture is very tender and juicy, succulent - flavor is very well balanced, we are rating them at 8.5 or so - an excellent tomato. I think that it is in the general type of Ponderosa/Wins All/Ferris Wheel/Brimmer, though I like the flavor more than most of the various regular leaf large pinks I've tried. Of course, a few seeds will make their way to Australia for a proper SH trial!

[nctomatoman]

Now we are seeing the big leaguers! Basket that I picked today - includes a 24 ounce Cherokee Purple (from seed I saved in 1996) - also an 18 ounce Cherokee Green, and the large pink in the pic is Stump of the World.