NON-SWEET TOMATO ?

[daylilydude]

Ok we hear alot about sweet tomatoes how about one that's not sweet at all i mean ones that have a strong acid taste with very little to no sweetness at all ?

[pooklette]

I never know what people mean when they say, "acid taste." By 'acid' do you mean bold/assertive/not bland/not sweet?

We tried Azoychka this year and it was a beautiful shade of yellow without so much as a hint of sweetness. It didn't have that mellow, sweet/fruity flavor you find in a lot of yellows. It was much more assertive and 'red tomatoey' in flavor.

[Fert1]

I know what you mean by an "acid taste", sour, tart, strong flavor. I always thought that was what I liked best in a tomato, but I discovered that I like a tomato that has both a strong sour bite and a sweetness, such as SunGold, Cherokee Purple, etc.

If you truly hate any sweetness in a tomato, about the only thing that comes to mind with no sweetness is Silvery Fir Tree that I grew for the first time this year. It was very sour, with no hint of sweetness, but I'm not necessarily recommending it. It had a bitter, astringent aftertaste that I found to be very unpleasant. It was like eating an unripe persimmon. Ick! A lot of people do like it though.

[kimpossible]

Black Cherry gets my vote - strong, & on the tart side for me (but others describe it as being sweet so it could be based on my growing conditions - clay soil, amended, growing season end of May to (hopefully) end of Sept. or better ... )

[Fert1]

In my garden Black Cherry varies a lot according to ripeness level. Picked early it's very sour. Let it get very, extremely ripe and it's sweet.

[Grub]

Black Cherry is sweet here for sure.

However, Jaune Flammee is consistently racey. And Green Zebra has a nice zing. I like them both.

In reds, Nepal has a good amount of acid.

I thought Golden Queen was a yellow with some sharpness.

You can also do as the Italians do and pick your maters before they are fully ripe, showing just a bit of a blush, and slice them for a salad. You'll get the zip in there for sure and it contrasts nicely with a few riper red saladettes in the bowl.

My views from my little plot. - Grub.

[cottonpicker]

Grub.... I believe you are the one who seemed to like Livingston's Favorite last season. As I remember, you replied that it performed quite well for you but I'm wondering how the flavor was in your opinion. I'm thinking of adding it to my list for '07.

Thanks,
LarryD

[cecilsgarden1958]

Wenever I think of a tomato as "not sweet", I call it "Tomatoey". MY favorite Tomatoey tomato is Bonny Best. In fact, I am thinking of growing it next year. Did well in cooler weather and next year's summer in my area is supposed to be cooler.

CECIL

[Grub]

Hi Larry,

Storm-ravaged here today. I feel excited and on edge after walking to work.

I really enjoyed growing Livingston's Favorite and it's back again this year. But perhaps not for the reasons pertaining to this thread.

Livingston's Favorite was a find for me that was a bit like Red Brandywine (the real one from Dr Carolyn), Nepal and perhaps even Picardy for beloved Earl.

It was a mainstream big cropper of medium-sized tasty very-good flavoured tomatoes. Dynamic? Nup. Acid? Yes, more in that spectrum of tastes. Like ye old-fashioned tomato taste.

Special? Only in so far as it was remarkably reliable with a great combination of the many attributes I look for in a backyard tomato — from the all-important taste to productiviity, through disease resistance to size, and shelf life and duration of production.

With Livingston's Favourite I know I will have plenty of medium red maters on my counter. No questions about that. Slice 'em, dice 'em, eat 'em raw or chuck them on the barbie to have with a steak. They taste real good any ol' way. And each day more are waiting.

Thumbs up.
Hope this helps.
Grub

[cottonpicker]

yep.... Grub.... that helps a LOT. Appreciate it!!
Gonna give it a try...
LD

[Mantis]

LF has a prime spot in my greenhouse thanks to Grubs reports and seeds of course. Got it growing beside Druzba which is another good producer of reds apparently.

[Grub]

Hmm. Tried Druzba. But funny thing is where Mantis is in dry inland country Victoria and where I am on temperate humid coast is like chalk and cheese. Add a greenhouse and things are even more different.

So I always like seeing what does well for you Manto. Sometimes it's like... snap... other times we're at odds. Keep up the reports. I'm beginning to get excited.

[Mantis]

Sure will Grub. Got fruit set on Aunt Ginny, Juanne Flamme and Brandywine X College Challenger. I'm getting excited too

[Tania]

Shuntukski Velican was not sweet for me but had a very strong (and nice) tomato flavor.

Funny, Black Cherry is always one of the sweetest cherries I grow