What flavor characteristics do look for in a variety

markferon · February 11, 2006

What flavor characteristics do look for in a variety.
sweet, sour, spicy, bite, ect. please do not list a whole bunch of varieties that you growing and how they taste.
Because that is not what i am asking about. I am only looking for what flavors you look for in the tomatoes you grow or eat. I just want see what tomato flavor components you look for. The reason i am asking for the answers this way I want to see what type of tomatoes you are looking for, without varieties to bias the question. No i do not plan on selling any tomatoes. Please be kind enough to answer in the manner I requested. thank you.

shelleybean · February 11, 2006

I prefer tangy flavor, or what you might call true tomato flavor, with a bite, but I don't care for sweet or candy-like varieties.

veggiecanner · February 11, 2006

sweet with a slight tart after taste.

**nctomatoman** · February 11, 2006

I look for quite a few things - and am happy to find tomatoes that have a few more than others. Favorite characteristic is assertiveness - that you KNOW you are eating a tomato when you taste it. I also look for something more personal - let's call it nostalgia - the flavor of the tomatoes my grandfather grew, the ones my parents bought at the farmstands.

I enjoy tartness, I enjoy good balance, I enjoy sweetness - but prefer these characteristics to be in good balance.

shelleybean · February 11, 2006

Yes, just what Craig said! A friend of mine says we are all looking for the tomato of our youth, and that pretty much sums it up. What I'm looking for in a tomato is what we ate on my grandparents farm in Indiana.

Rena · February 11, 2006

Can I add the word fruity? I like sweet tomatoes but I also like the fruity taste... There is also an variety that has a smokey taste to it..... but Mark I wont mention it (following your rules) :wink:

grungy · February 11, 2006

Taste- a good balance of tart with a hint of sweet. A taste that reaches out and announces that this is a "Tomato". I perfer one that has an intensity, rather than bland. Oh yes, in the blacks I want a "smoky" flavor. (This hard to describe unless you have eaten one.)

TomatoDon · February 11, 2006

I agree mostly with what Michelle and Craig said. I like that old time taste, a certain amount of tang and bite. I often describe it as salty, which is just my term. That's a real tomato to me. The others can be fun, but when I want to really hunker down and do some serious tomato eatin' I like a medium, deep red tomato, full ripe with tangy zest. Give me a plate of that with plenty of home made mayo, salt, and pepper, and I'm happy. Do it twice and I'm happier.

Don

jwr6404 · February 11, 2006

There are so many terms used to describe Tomato taste that a glossary is needed. I understand acidic and that is what I like. The wife likes sweet only and I don't understand why. Like most Koreans she eats her tomatos covered with sugar. Enough sugar and any tomato will taste sweet, I'm giving in to her wishes and planting mostly sweet tomatos and purchasing lots of sugar. Planting Carmello for myself,hope it isn't too sweet.

shelleybean · February 11, 2006

Wow! I've never heard of putting sugar on tomatoes, but I do like it on watermelon, cantaloupe and apples!

melody · February 11, 2006

Hmmm...I salt my canteloupe, watermelon and apples...wonder what that says about me???

What I look for in a tomato is aroma first. When you cut into one fresh from the garden, the tomatoey aroma should announce the taste of things to come.

Depending on what I'm using it for, I like several types of flavors, but not the sugary sweet...even in the cherries, I want a bit of bite.

I'm not a big fan of the sour type tomatoes fresh, but do like them canned. The flavor seems to hold up better under storage.

For fresh eating a like an intense, richly blended tomato with sweet and tart combination...and yes, I know what 'smoky' tastes like and I like that too.

**nctomatoman** · February 11, 2006

Melody - do you continue to grow the "mystery" black variety you sent to me a few years ago? I grew it once, and got a medium sized oblate purple with creased shoulders and good flavor. I've not regrown it, but should. It is quite different than any other black I've grown.

bully · February 11, 2006

I agree with a lot of what I read but would add (and if it was said then my speed reading needs work)

Longevity!
nothing worse than a tomato that quits before I'm done chewing. Like a cheap piece of gum.

**nctomatoman** · February 11, 2006

Good point, Bully...and to add to your textural implication....I most like a tomato that nearly melts in your mouth, yet is not mushy. If I have to chew the variety, it is too firm/dry/crunchy, etc.

Fusion_power · February 12, 2006

I guess I'm a bit different. I like a broad range of tomato textures but don't like the ones that are mushy. A firm tomato is fine with me so long as smell and flavor are good. I do like tomatoes with lots of gel around the seed since that is where the flavor tends to concentrate. I can't stand a tomato with a very thick skin that catches in your teeth a la most commercial varieties today.

The most important thing for me is the smell of the tomato. If it smells like a tomato, it will almost always taste like a tomato. Once I can smell it, then I taste it and see if it lives up to its billing.

I prefer a balanced flavor over one that is too tart or too sweet. If the sweetness is very high, as per some of the recent red cherry tomatoes, but the tart flavor is not present, I describe them as bland. If the tart flavor is very high but there is no sugar, I describe them as too tart. I could name varieties that fall to either condition.

I find most dark tomatoes to have an almost smoky aftertaste. They are delicious served with grilled beef where the two flavors complement and enhance each other.

Fusion

February 11, 2006	#1
markferon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Maryland Posts: 68	What flavor characteristics do look for in a variety What flavor characteristics do look for in a variety. sweet, sour, spicy, bite, ect. please do not list a whole bunch of varieties that you growing and how they taste. Because that is not what i am asking about. I am only looking for what flavors you look for in the tomatoes you grow or eat. I just want see what tomato flavor components you look for. The reason i am asking for the answers this way I want to see what type of tomatoes you are looking for, without varieties to bias the question. No i do not plan on selling any tomatoes. Please be kind enough to answer in the manner I requested. thank you.

February 11, 2006	#2
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	I prefer tangy flavor, or what you might call true tomato flavor, with a bite, but I don't care for sweet or candy-like varieties. __________________ Michele

February 11, 2006	#3
veggiecanner Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Idaho Posts: 35	sweet with a slight tart after taste. __________________ zone 5/6 north Idaho

February 11, 2006	#4
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	I look for quite a few things - and am happy to find tomatoes that have a few more than others. Favorite characteristic is assertiveness - that you KNOW you are eating a tomato when you taste it. I also look for something more personal - let's call it nostalgia - the flavor of the tomatoes my grandfather grew, the ones my parents bought at the farmstands. I enjoy tartness, I enjoy good balance, I enjoy sweetness - but prefer these characteristics to be in good balance. __________________ Craig

February 11, 2006	#5
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	Yes, just what Craig said! A friend of mine says we are all looking for the tomato of our youth, and that pretty much sums it up. What I'm looking for in a tomato is what we ate on my grandparents farm in Indiana. __________________ Michele

February 11, 2006	#6
Rena Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Warm Springs, GA Posts: 1,421	Can I add the word fruity? I like sweet tomatoes but I also like the fruity taste... There is also an variety that has a smokey taste to it..... but Mark I wont mention it (following your rules) :wink:

February 11, 2006	#7
grungy Tomatovillian™ Honoree Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Wynndel, BC, CANADA Posts: 78	Taste- a good balance of tart with a hint of sweet. A taste that reaches out and announces that this is a "Tomato". I perfer one that has an intensity, rather than bland. Oh yes, in the blacks I want a "smoky" flavor. (This hard to describe unless you have eaten one.)

February 11, 2006	#8
TomatoDon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MS Posts: 1,523	I agree mostly with what Michelle and Craig said. I like that old time taste, a certain amount of tang and bite. I often describe it as salty, which is just my term. That's a real tomato to me. The others can be fun, but when I want to really hunker down and do some serious tomato eatin' I like a medium, deep red tomato, full ripe with tangy zest. Give me a plate of that with plenty of home made mayo, salt, and pepper, and I'm happy. Do it twice and I'm happier. Don __________________ Zone 7B, N. MS

February 11, 2006	#9
jwr6404 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: University Place, WA Posts: 481	There are so many terms used to describe Tomato taste that a glossary is needed. I understand acidic and that is what I like. The wife likes sweet only and I don't understand why. Like most Koreans she eats her tomatos covered with sugar. Enough sugar and any tomato will taste sweet, I'm giving in to her wishes and planting mostly sweet tomatos and purchasing lots of sugar. Planting Carmello for myself,hope it isn't too sweet. __________________ Jim

February 11, 2006	#11
melody Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Kentucky Posts: 162	Hmmm...I salt my canteloupe, watermelon and apples...wonder what that says about me??? What I look for in a tomato is aroma first. When you cut into one fresh from the garden, the tomatoey aroma should announce the taste of things to come. Depending on what I'm using it for, I like several types of flavors, but not the sugary sweet...even in the cherries, I want a bit of bite. I'm not a big fan of the sour type tomatoes fresh, but do like them canned. The flavor seems to hold up better under storage. For fresh eating a like an intense, richly blended tomato with sweet and tart combination...and yes, I know what 'smoky' tastes like and I like that too.

February 11, 2006	#13
bully Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: S.E. MI Posts: 794	I agree with a lot of what I read but would add (and if it was said then my speed reading needs work) Longevity! nothing worse than a tomato that quits before I'm done chewing. Like a cheap piece of gum.

February 12, 2006	#15
Fusion_power Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,250	I guess I'm a bit different. I like a broad range of tomato textures but don't like the ones that are mushy. A firm tomato is fine with me so long as smell and flavor are good. I do like tomatoes with lots of gel around the seed since that is where the flavor tends to concentrate. I can't stand a tomato with a very thick skin that catches in your teeth a la most commercial varieties today. The most important thing for me is the smell of the tomato. If it smells like a tomato, it will almost always taste like a tomato. Once I can smell it, then I taste it and see if it lives up to its billing. I prefer a balanced flavor over one that is too tart or too sweet. If the sweetness is very high, as per some of the recent red cherry tomatoes, but the tart flavor is not present, I describe them as bland. If the tart flavor is very high but there is no sugar, I describe them as too tart. I could name varieties that fall to either condition. I find most dark tomatoes to have an almost smoky aftertaste. They are delicious served with grilled beef where the two flavors complement and enhance each other. Fusion