One last crack at Brandywine.

[where_with_all]

Brandywine sudduth is tops for me too. I do taste tests with lots of people (>30) and do head on comparisons. BW Sudduth edged out Marianna's Peace last year by a statistically significant margin. Usually caveats apply- my soil-my area- my growing conditions.

This year, if I can ever get my BW to sprout, I will be comparing them to Earls Faux. Again over 30 people will taste and provide opinions.

I can not wait. Rapature is a very strong word for eating tomatoes. I would not turn away any tomatoes.. but BW, IMO, and in the opinion of my crackerjack panel, tastes ever so slightly better than others (thus far!)

[michael johnson]

You see-That's exactly what I mean about BW, were -with-all, had me drooling all over the place like a old english mastiff dog,- I had to wipe my mouth twice with a tissue.

And yet- when I grow all the variations of BW, they taste mediocre and mild, but yet I quite liked MP, nice flavour but a bit too creamy and soft, Cherokee purple same as BW, does nothing for me, yet- Paul Robeson people go into raptures about if, I found it very mild and hardly worth growing, my favourites so far last season were Bear Claw, Mometero, Goose Creek, and Neve's Azorean red,Green Giant was also quite good,

[Tomstrees]

I'm going to grow two plants of it ...
JUST in case ~ lol ~

Tom

[where_with_all]

Michael- Sorry for the torture- It is not intended. I am just an optimizing scientist (engineer) by trade. I don't like the answer that "tastes vary" even though it is probably true. I am on a hunt (quest) for the best tasteing tomato using statistical sampling in my little ole part of the world.

I understand all the caveats : my soil, my growing conditions, but I want to remove taste buds from the variables--if I can. The best way I can do that is head to head comparisons with plants grown in the same way.

I am very interested in your taste preferences- actually a bit surprised. You said that Momotaro (Japan?) was a favorite of yours. I remember Bully mentioning the same thing.

In my taste tests- Momotaro was bland. Never got past MP in the trails so I never compared it with BW. I grew it last year too, because lots of people on this board said it had a high sugar content and that it was sweet.

Ehh-- not so good in my garden and all my testers agreed (not unanimous- but statisitcally undisputable). I got to believe that of the 30 people I have tasting tomatoes (coworkers, neighbors, friends, family) I have a full gammut of taste buds in my population.

Must be the other variables out of control- soil and growing conditions. Would love to get your thoughts on BW sudduth- after you wipe your drool.

where_with_all

[michael johnson]

My personal preferences have always been- the quest to find a large heirloom tomato with the same qualities and taste as many of the cherry types- sungold, sweet 100. and the likes.- its a near impossibilty-but I keep trying,

Other than that -I prefer the strongest tomato flavoured ones with lingering aftertones, and leaning towards the sweet to very sweet side, rather juicy- as I cant bare dry fleshed tomatoes.

Four or five times I have managed to achieve this in some varieties-in some seasons, but have never been able to repeat it consistantly season after season-try as I might,- but I am getting there slowly.

[duajones]

I started several seeds of brandywine in november just to check germination, held onto one plant and it is in the ground now. over 4 ft tall and not one tomato on the plant. The plant is beautiful otherwise.

[Granny]

Originally Posted by where_with_all

I understand all the caveats : my soil, my growing conditions, but I want to remove taste buds from the variables--if I can. The best way I can do that is head to head comparisons with plants grown in the same way.

It is impossible to remove taste buds from the variables. You remember that experiment from high school biology where they give you the little square of paper to taste? The one that some can taste and others not? The ability to taste (or smell) certain compounds is genetic. Some folks have it for some things, others don't.

Thus, some people absolutely adore cilantro. Others - like me - think that it tastes very strongly and unpleasantly of soap. Some people find artificial vanilla perfectly acceptable. Others (me again here) miss the several hundred other compounds that are in real vanilla and can definitely tell the difference.

The best you will ever be able to do is to say which one is "best" for you, but I suspect that this year's "best" might not be next years, since growing conditions change from year to year.

[where_with_all]

Granny,

I meant statisically remove taste as one of the variables. Your point is well taken- I am sure that there are some people in the world that percieve lemons as sweet intead of acidic, or habanero peppers as mild, etc. However the MAJORITY of the population thinks differently. Just like the probability of genetically getting blue eyes is less than other colors.

I am looking for a mean value with a very tight distribution. I am not sure I will get it- nor am I sure my sample size is representative of the population- but that is my goal. I am not trying to say one tomato tastes better for everyone.

[feldon30]

The very people who promote and grow heirloom tomatoes are usually the ones who promote the idea that there is no average. I live very much in two worlds. I'll eat greasy food one day and the healthiest stuff available the next.

I don't feel I am committing a crime if I hand someone a tomato and say "I think you'll like that".

[Tomstrees]

My Brandywine is one of my strongest seedlings ...
Plump leaves, healthy & stocky ... Looks great so far ~
Could have been the seed ... I got them from a very productive plant ...

~ Tom