eating Black Krim as a GWR

[habitat_gardener]

It's been a few years since I've grown BK, and I remember it as a terrific cooked tomato. As a raw tomato, it tends to get full color and then go downhill and get very soft very fast. iirc, I had to pick the right moment to eat it, or else it just wasn't very good. I'm growing it again this year, and it's been producing one-pounders.

On another thread, COMPOSTER mentioned that Black Krim was tasty while it was still green. While surveying my one-pounder tomato-sandwich choices this evening, I noted that Dester was still a little hard, but the still-mostly-green with some blush/stripes Black Krim felt just right: not too soft, not too hard, the perfect amount of "give" that tells me a tomato is ripe. So Black Krim it was.

What a discovery!!

I will still need to let a small one get a little riper and darker to know for sure, but I think I prefer Black Krim as a Green When Ripe (GWR)! And it's just as beautiful as any of the other multicolor or mostly green tomatoes: mostly green inside, with some red veining in the middle.

[NarnianGarden]

Then I probably have to try it green.. my BK seems to take forever to get ripe!
Already I had to eat several greenies fried, because they were all hit by BER..
Now finally some blushing ones as well, but they are slow indeed.

[Alfredo]

That's similar to how I eat them,...I prefer Black Krim when it isn't fully ripened as well, while it still has green shoulders and the bottom is still turning color. Just seems like a more complex layered set of flavors for me.

[COMPOSTER]

I had read in the FEDCO catalouge that they needed to be harvested partially green or they would turn into something akin to roadkill before you got them to the house. I guess I didn't realize just how green they meant.

Anyway, picked mostly green and mixed with Dr Wyche's yellow and Stump of the World makes one beautiful tasty tomato salad. YUM!

Glenn

[Ed of Somis]

as stated on another forum...the blacks/browns tend to degrade a bit quicker than the reds. I find the above comments to be correct. A bit earlier is better...

[habitat_gardener]

Originally Posted by COMPOSTER

I had read in the FEDCO catalouge that they needed to be harvested partially green or they would turn into something akin to roadkill before you got them to the house. I guess I didn't realize just how green they meant.

Anyway, picked mostly green and mixed with Dr Wyche's yellow and Stump of the World makes one beautiful tasty tomato salad. YUM!

I ordered from Fedco this year and really enjoyed reading the catalog. Usually there's some information from one of the market growers. It's kind of downplayed hype. I missed the writeup about Black Krim, though:
http://www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds/sear...=4061&index=2&

[NarnianGarden]

I tried one large one as half-green, half-red, still firm. I could tell where that 'smokey' flavor some have described would come from. In my palate, it was more like black pepper, or vinegar
The next one definitely needs to stay on the vine a tad longer, perhaps a day or two.

[cythaenopsis]

My first Black Krim stayed on the vine all the way to the end, when I felt it had reached the peak of ripeness. It wasn't mushy, but I didn't sense much smoky flavor at all.

The next time, I picked a BK tomato probably a few days before it was fully ripe. It was still green on the shoulders with nearly full blush but still quite firm to the touch. I allowed it to ripen a couple of days on the counter. When I tried it, I immediately noticed a taste difference. A smokiness was there, in just the right level to compose a rich, complex flavor. So I found it best to let it get some good blush going before picking then let a few more off-vine days until just right.

[bower]

I'm growing Black Russian this year, and it's also very good when shoulders are still green - it adds a tangy, fruity element to the overall taste which is quite different when fully ripe. I think this is a great feature, I'll make note about the Black Krim.

The same doesn't go for all the blacks though, afaik. Black Sea Man (or Chernomor indet) is not a bit nice when under-ripe, neither taste nor texture wise. I pick when they are coloured but let them sit until just at the peak of ripeness (eat me now or never!), then the texture is very smooth and juicy and best flavoured. Indian Stripe is also much better at the peak ripeness, and is missing some sweetness and complexity if eaten in a firmer condition afaict.

NarnianGarden, if your Krims are colouring up slowly in a cold garden, you can also pick and let them ripen on the table, the warmth of the house will make it quicker.

[cythaenopsis]

Originally Posted by bower

I'm growing Black Russian this year, and it's also very good when shoulders are still green - it adds a tangy, fruity element to the overall taste which is quite different when fully ripe. I think this is a great feature, I'll make note about the Black Krim.

The same doesn't go for all the blacks though, afaik. Black Sea Man (or Chernomor indet) is not a bit nice when under-ripe, neither taste nor texture wise. I pick when they are coloured but let them sit until just at the peak of ripeness (eat me now or never!), then the texture is very smooth and juicy and best flavoured. Indian Stripe is also much better at the peak ripeness, and is missing some sweetness and complexity if eaten in a firmer condition afaict.

Hey bower, thanks for sharing your experience. Interesting to see your comparison of two varieties where one has a different (and even desirable) taste prior to fully ripe while another is best when totally ripened. In retrospect, I do wonder if I'd waited a couple of days after initially picking what looked like a fully ripe Black Krim that the smoky flavor might have come through.

Incidentally, how does the Chernomor compare to the Black Krim in terms of size, flavor, and productivity?

[NarnianGarden]

My Krimeans are blushing quite nicely - they started the ripening process last week
I will not let any of them ripen inside, because in my hot flat they would get over-ripe and mushy. It's better to wait.
Thankfully, the weather for this week is going to be sunny and lovely, so there are going to be several juicy fruits available..

[bower]

cythaenopsis,

The BSM indet/'Chernomor' I have is a heavy setter early on, and loads up with medium sized beefsteak shape tomatoes even in the cool spring, DTM the same as Black Cherry or about a week-ten days later than Stupice, which is very good for a slicer. It is a mild tasting black (not tangy), the complexity of the 'smokey' flavour is brought out by a little salt.

I haven't grown Black Krim, unfortunately, so can't compare directly. Looking at the pictures for BK on Tatiana's Tomatobase, the 'Chernomor' is about the size of the smaller fruit shown - but I don't usually get monster sized fruit in my greenhouse conditions anyway. It is certainly early and heavy bearing compared with other varieties overall.

I grew Black Early this year and found the size and taste about the same as 'Chernomor'. but not as early and productive for me this year. Brazilian Beauty is also very similar tasting, I would describe them all as mild smokey blacks.
Cherokee Purple, Indian Stripe and Vorlon I would describe as fruity, complex blacks, the flavour for me is best without salt or any other condiment.

[GunnarSK]

After reading this thread I'll try to remember "blacks" should be treated differently, but I don't expect to remember which varieties to treat how, so that will be based on experience.

[habitat_gardener]

Originally Posted by GunnarSK

After reading this thread I'll try to remember "blacks" should be treated differently, but I don't expect to remember which varieties to treat how, so that will be based on experience.

THe point is that "ripeness" may be best determined by feeling the fruit, not by looking at the color. That's how I tell when every other variety I've grown is at its prime.

When Black Krim turns dark, it's so soft that, if it were any other variety, you'd assume it was past its prime and good only for seed-saving and composting; maybe cooking.

But when my 1-pound Black Krims feel just right -- a little "give" but not too hard or too soft -- they have a lot of green.

Are there other varieties that are typically eaten at the soft-almost-rotting stage?

[cythaenopsis]

Originally Posted by bower

The BSM indet/'Chernomor' I have is a heavy setter early on, and loads up with medium sized beefsteak shape tomatoes even in the cool spring, DTM the same as Black Cherry or about a week-ten days later than Stupice, which is very good for a slicer. It is a mild tasting black (not tangy), the complexity of the 'smokey' flavour is brought out by a little salt.

Thanks! I'll have to give this one consideration on my grow list for next season.