Red Tomatoes/large tomatoes

[Tomatovator]

Are red tomatoes generally more intense in flavor than the other colors out there? Are large tomatoes generally more mild in taste than the smaller varieties? I grew a large pink beefsteak from Bonnie Plants last season and got a good yield but the flavor was very mild compaired to the smaller reds I grew. I read that the only difference between a red tomato and a pink tomato is the color of the skin so maybe its a size thing.

[carolyn137]

From my experiece growing many many varieties I find there's no correlation at all between color/taste/ size. And here I'm talking about just red and pinks b'c that's what you're asking about.

And yes, the only difference between a pink tomato and a red one is the color of the epidermis. If it's yellow the fruit is red and if it's clear the fruit is pink.

It's a mutation that does occur and I maintain several reds as pinks and the reverse, but don't list them anywhere and don't deliberately send out seeds of the ones that are the wrong color for the original variety.

[barkeater]

With my limited experience growing other than red varieties, I would have to say that pink varieties, other than Brandywine and Momotaro, have nowhere near the intense flavor of a good red. And no, beefsteak reds are NOT generally mild like pinks.

On the other hand, I used to put down yellow tomatoes as mushy and useless until I grew Aunt Gerties Gold. Yellow BW and Earl of Edgecombe are also great tomatoes!

[Ruth_10]

I think there are more intense and tasty red/pink tomatoes than other colors, but then there are more red/pink tomatoes, period. Does size matter? Not unless the tomato was developed for size with no regard for taste.

If you found the large beefsteak bland then it was probably the variety, not the size or color. Or the weather. Or your soil. Or the phase of the moon--no, wait, I don't believe in that stuff.

[bcday]

I've grown red varieties that had no flavor at all, so I don't think a tomato's color is a reliable guide to the intensity of its flavor. I thought Gregori's Altai, a pink variety, had a stronger flavor than some red ones of similar size that were growing just a few feet away.

But a lot depends on your tastebuds and growing conditions. Lots of folks describe Legend, which is red, as blah and tasteless, while others say it's not so bad.

As far as larger fruit size tending toward milder flavor, I wouldn't say Aunt Gertie's Gold is milder than Yellow Pear.

I think flavor intensity just depends on the variety and the growing conditions and your individual taste, more than the size or color of the fruit.

[dcarch]

Don't rule out the cultural and phsychological aspects of how colors can influence taste.

I remember there was this experiement done:

Two groups of subjects were asked to taste test identically prepared steaks, except one group's steaks were colored green. The green steaks were judged lousy tasting.

Also, there was a kind of blue colored lobster which remains blue after it's cooked. They couldn't sell any of them even they don't taste any different.

Perhaps many are still conditioned to think that tomatoes have to be red to taste good.

dcarch

[travis]

I've never tasted a tomato better than Cherokee Purple. So, I guess that puts me in the pink camp, huh?

I'm sure there's a red out there somewhere that's more tasty. In fact, I had something dead red come out of a Indian Stripe seed last summer that was better tasting than any of its Indian Stripe brothers and sisters.

But Cherokee Purple remains the best in my memory.

PV

[Mantis]

You just gotta be controversial eh PV.
I find myself gravitating towards more and more pinks of all sizes. Momotaros and Arkansas Travellors up to Soldacki, Brandywine, Aunt Ginny, Gregoris Altai etc. I just like their flavour better than most reds I have tried, with the exception of Zogola (didn't get a Z seedling to survive this year, bugger). I have Druzba, Chapman, Box Car Willie and other reds that I have not tried in this year, so my opinion may change somewhat.
Growing more blacks and greens as well as I love them as well.
Mantis

[feldon30]

Actually, I am with PV. I have not tasted any tomato that has as pronounced a taste as Cherokee Purple or Brandywine, suggesting that for now, pink/purple are at the top of my list. But I have not tasted any of the winners that get frequently mentioned such as Neves Azorean, Anna Russian, Omar's Lebanese, Wes, etc.

A problem I intend to rectify this spring. Hard to believe it's less than 30 days until I sow seeds.

[Tomstrees]

Feldon27 ...

Did I send you "Pink Potato Top" ?

~ Tom

[barkeater]

I agree too about Cherokee Purple having a nice assertive flavor. My earlier reply was concerning large pink beefsteak types, which, other than Brandywine, I've found to be very mild compared to most big red beefsteaks.

Are there any very assertive, tangy, tomatoey large pink beefsteak varieties out there?

[travis]

I wasn't tryin' to throw a monkey wrench in there ...

Actually, I consider Cherokee Purple as a "pink" tomato, and was replying to the original post as if CP is in the large pink beefsteak category as opposed to large red beefsteaks.

PV

[dcarch]

Originally Posted by Papa Vic

I wasn't tryin' to throw a monkey wrench in there ...

PV

""

Of course, we understand.

dcarch

[feldon30]

Originally Posted by Tomstrees

Feldon27 ...

Did I send you "Pink Potato Top" ?

~ Tom

You graciously sent me your yellow-in-development and Ramapo F5. I do not have PPT.

[feldon30]

Originally Posted by Papa Vic

I wasn't tryin' to throw a monkey wrench in there ...

Actually, I consider Cherokee Purple as a "pink" tomato, and was replying to the original post as if CP is in the large pink beefsteak category as opposed to large red beefsteaks.

PV

I thought that all "pink" tomatoes like Brandywine, Eva Purple Ball, were referred to as purples until the "true" purples came around like Black Krim, Purple Russian, and Cherokee Purple. Everyone had to shift gears and start calling pinks pinks and purples purples (or even black).

Perhaps a more interesting way to describe Cherokee Purple and other purple/black varieties is having "dusky" coloration. And I don't think any of the "pink" varieties get that kind of "dusky" coloration. I know that CP and other "purples" don't get quite as dark when grown up North as they do when grown in the South.