A Smoky Black

[TomatoDon]

I keep hearing people mention the "smoky" flavor of certain black tomatoes. Which varieties are you referring to?

Don

[Raymondo]

Cherokee Purple is one I'd consider to have a 'smokey' flavour.

[TomatoDon]

Great. I have Cherokee Purple and Carbon on my 2006 grow list.

Thanks!

Don

[carolyn137]

Don,

Whether or not you taste something smokey or indeed salty, as some folks do when they grow blacks, is really a function of your own tastebuds.

I've grown scads of black varieties and have never once tasted anything remotely smokey or salty. And I'm not alone in saying that.

Earthy tasting? Now that's getting closer to what I taste with some, but not all of them.

Carolyn

[nctomatoman]

I also do not pick up whatever someone describes as "smoky". The first year I grew Black Krim, I was surprised at its lack of sweetness - to my tongue, it was nearly "salty", but not smoky. I also do not care for the flavor of Black Plum - but it is because I pick up a funky, nearly green flavor to it. I suspect that if a table of cut tomatoes of various colors, varieties, etc were laid out and we were blindfolded, taste descriptions would be very, very different! it is very difficult to seperate our expectations from visual expectations from reality!

[KCMO_Don]

"I suspect that if a table of cut tomatoes of various colors, varieties, etc were laid out and we were blindfolded, taste descriptions would be very, very different! it is very difficult to seperate our expectations from visual expectations from reality!"

I agree 100% !!

[TheDens]

The first time I tasted a Black Krim, my first response was, "Wow, I didn't know a tomato could taste that sweet!"
Just goes to show, it's all in the tongue of the beholder.

Denna

[nctomatoman]

Denna - possibly, though I've tried Black Krim from a few other sources, and there is definitely variability out there (I regrew my source and it is still unsweet - others I've grown are sweeter). This is not unexpected, however, since the explostion of differently named black varieties over the past 5 - 10 years must be far in excess of actual varieties - there is some renaming going on out there!

[travis]

Don,

The only two blacks I've grown are Cherokee Purple and Black Krim.

I didn't notice anything that I could remotely describe as tasting smoky or salty about either. But then neither of them turned "black" for me.

The CPs took on a smoky color every year, just not a smoky taste. Maybe some people taste with their eyes more than I do.

I will say that the CP was superior to the BK in flavor and texture.

PV

[Catntree]

Don,

Cherokee Purple and Carbon are two of the best...I think you are set with these representatives.

[TomatoDon]

I said a black, not a yellow.

Don

[lumierefrere]

I agree with Denna. The Black Krim I had last year was closer to tree fruit than a tomato. It was so sweet and delicious--far sweeter than either Sungold or Black Cherry. Yes, I saved seeds. Yea!