mcclintocks big pink

[kenny_j]

" Mcclintocks Big Pink", different from "Mcclintocks", is supposed to be comparable in flavor, and more productive than Brandy wine. If this is the case, why is it not available. I have googled and get almost no hits. Can anyone here elaborate on this? Is this a myth , or a real heirloom?

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by kenny_j

" Mcclintocks Big Pink", different from "Mcclintocks", is supposed to be comparable in flavor, and more productive than Brandy wine. If this is the case, why is it not available. I have googled and get almost no hits. Can anyone here elaborate on this? Is this a myth , or a real heirloom?

http://t.tatianastomatobase.com:88/wiki/McClintock

Both are heirlooms, above is McClintock and at the bottom of that page you can click to the Big Pink one.

And no commercial source for the Big Pink one. Why? There are hundreds and hundreds of great varieties that aren't available commercially. That's just the way it is. Many of them can be found only in the SSE YEarbook, for SSE memebrs only. So that's a thought for you as well.

When I look in the SSE YEarbook for SSE members I see a few folks who are offering seeds for the pink one, one is Amy Goldman who says it's tops on her list or something like that, so maybe that's where you heard so much about it from her book, but not all of her top picks would be the same as many others b'c taste is perceptual and personal.

Another person says similar to Brandywine, but sweeter.

And the third person says very good taste, or something like that.

There are several varieties that some have said taste like Brandywine and the one that comes to mind ASAP is Earl's Faux, seeds readily available at lots of places if you check Tania's site.

And you should have Tania's site bookmarked in your faves to be able to check out varieties. From the above link when you're through with that page or the Big Pink page, go to the upper left and click on MAIN and that takes you back to home. And there you can see several ways to research varieties. I use the alphabetical one most of the time when I know the name of the variety.

And forgive me here, but I do not consider Brandywine to have the best taste ever. There's been so much hype about it, that I know, and that's what's motivated so many to grow it, or at least one of the strains, the best known one being Brandywine ( Sudduth).

Does it have a unique taste for me? Yes, but it's not the only one that has a unique taste for me. Prue is another one that has a unique taste for me.

It's possible that someone here at Tville might have seeds for it so why don't you go to the Seed Exchange subforum WANTED and ask if anyone has seeds for McClintock Big Pink. You never know.

[Tania]

Thank you Carolyn!

I also created a page for McClintock Big Pink (just a few minutes ago): http://t.tatianastomatobase.com:88/w...ntock_Big_Pink

This page should have been in TOMATObase, as I had Neil's description for it, it was my oversight that I did not create it before. My apologies...

I will be growing it in the future, that's for sure, but I am not sure when yet.

[kenny_j]

As always, thanx Carolyn. And earl's faux and prue are both on my must have list for next year. I do use Tanias site a lot, and a few days ago there was a page for the big pink, but no data, but I guess she has now updated it, thanx tania, I love your site, and am anxious to try some of the unusual varieties you offer. You are right C, I did see it in AG's book, and her description, especially early and hi yield hooked me . I am almost OCD over these heirloom varieties, LOL, I've gardened all my life, growing hybrid tomatoes. 15 years ago I tried some heirloom plants bought at a local garden shop, and they were TERRIBLE, so I wrote off all heirlooms, my mistake. At my age I'm trying to make up for lost time!! Love all of you here, and hope you realize how important all of you are to people like me trying to learn about tomatoes. Tomatoville is truly awesome!!
And C, I have found several places on line that carry your book. My daughter bought me AG's book for fathersday, and I have yours on my wish list for Xmas. Cant wait to get it. The only problem is, I'll probably find another 50 varities that I must try, LOL.
ken

[carolyn137]

And C, I have found several places on line that carry your book. My daughter bought me AG's book for fathersday, and I have yours on my wish list for Xmas. Cant wait to get it. The only problem is, I'll probably find another 50 varities that I must try, LOL.


*****

I'm very surprised that you're finding places that are selling my book b'c there's a thread here where folks were trying madly to get it ASAP b'c it went out of print this past Spring.

At the time I was asked to write the book I'd grown about 1200 varieties and not all in the book are my faves b'c I wanted to feature some that were family heirlooms, some that are older commercial varieties, some that were bred and some that resulted from accidental crosses.

Right now I'm up to about 3,000 varieties and still plodding along.

Please note that there are quite a few errors in Amy's book. She hired people to do most of the research and they didn't know diddly about tomatoes and although the final approval was Amy's she didn't know enough about them to recognize that the info was wrong.

Yes, I know Amy well, we were once very good friends, but time moves on. She used to drive to my place to get fruits, label them and take them back home for the seeds.

And there are places where she's posted her favorites and quite a few folks have commented on those lists. Suffice it to say that performance is variable depending on where and when a variety is grown as the listings in the SSE Yearbook amply show and taste is personal and perceptual and even has a human genetic component.

And I'm glad to see you're now obsessed with OP type tomatoes. it's a great hobby and you join many of us here who are similary obsessed.

[jgaleota]

Barnes and Noble lists your book, both new and used.

[Mudman]

Originally Posted by jgaleota

Barnes and Noble lists your book, both new and used.

New- out of stock. Used from 38.50 to 288.06. I would go for the more expensive one, I bet it is in better condition.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by Mudman

New- out of stock. Used from 38.50 to 288.06. I would go for the more expensive one, I bet it is in better condition.

Thanks for the laugh, I like it.

If you look at the thread where folks were looking for copies of my book all the places with new ones were bought up ASAP and that included many seed sites as well, and yes, there are used ones all over the net and not just at the larger book places such as Amazon and Barnes and Noble and the like, but at smaller palces as well if you do a search.

But OUCH on the prices for the used ones. Someone found a used one going for $400.

As it is I still have four copies here at home, new ones, and being the speculative person that I am I'm waiting until the going price gets close to $1000 and then I may unload two of them.

[Mudman]

Originally Posted by carolyn137

Thanks for the laugh, I like it.
As it is I still have four copies here at home, new ones, and being the speculative person that I am I'm waiting until the going price gets close to $1000 and then I may unload two of them.

Or maybe you would trade one for an exceptionally great tasting yet to be known family heirloom tomato?

[Douglas14]

Carolyn,
If you signed the book, I wonder how much the value would go up?

Doug(who has a personally signed book from Carolyn, which was signed at the SSE campout convention, when she was speaking there.....and no, it's not for sale)

[kenny_j]

[QUOTE=carolyn137;235739]

At the time I was asked to write the book I'd grown about 1200 varieties and not all in the book are my faves b'c I wanted to feature some that were family heirlooms, some that are older commercial varieties, some that were bred and some that resulted from accidental crosses.

**********


Carolyn, you need to do one more book!!! This time only your faves, with pertinant data on each. AND the best uses, or your favorite uses, and maybe some recipes. As an example from AG's book, I never dreamed roasted tomatoes could be so delicious. I grew San Marzanos this year, and used that recipe, it is to die for, IMHO. OR, from one of your posts about making sauces from other than paste tomatoes. I always thought paste made the best sauce, but now I see the possibility for endless experimenting in making sauces!!
I can't even imagine the amount of work such a project would entail, but I think it would be a hit. Think about it, everyone wants to grow the best tasting tomatoes (and you could describe the different flavors) and not have to grow thousands of varieties in search of a few favorites. Basic human nature. You could provide that starting point!! OK. I'll shut up now, OCD kicking in.

[lakelady]

Carolyn, I have to give you a lot of credit for growing that many different tomatoes! I would totally forget after about 30 or so, which tasted like what and probably all dump them into a pot to make sauce out of frustration !! So glad there are people out there like yourself, who can really plug along and make sense of it all, so people like me can enjoy them

[Tormato]

I've trialed McClintock (RL red) by mistake, and McClintock Big Pink (PL pink beefsteak) which was the variety I was looking for.

MBP is not comparable to Brandywine, for me. It is sweeter, though.

It is a very good to excellent flavored PL pink beefsteak, much like the vast majority of the hundreds of PL pink beefsteaks I've trialed. I find little, if any difference in production in the different varieties of PL pink beefsteaks, with the exception of Stump Of The World, which will outproduce most others in most years.

Kenny, PM me if you'd like seed.

Tormato