A good black tomato?

[b54red]

Sounds to me like you need to try leaving them on the vine a little longer. The black tomatoes seem to flavor up better when they ripen in the heat on the vine. If picked too soon I have noticed the blacks don't ripen as well on the counter as pinks and reds. Of course if they are left to ripen too long they can become mushy and mealy. I find Indian Stripe and JDs Special C Tex to be a little more forgiving on when they are picked than some of the other blacks but they still taste much better to me when ripened longer on the vine.

[camochef]

Black Krim, Black Seaman, and Black Brandywine were my first "black" tomatoes quite a few years ago. Although Cherokee Purple, Cherokee Chocolate and Prudens Purple were before them, so I guess it's a technicality issue.
Anyway, I always allow all my tomatoes to ripen on the vine. I think there is a major difference in taste between those that are picked at first blush and those that ripen on the vine itself.
As far as being mushy or mealy...I think that has more to do with overwatering than vine ripening, but I never did an in-depth study on such.
As much as I was impressed with Black Krim's superb taste, it had some stiff competion. Still I grew them for years. It wasn't until 2009 that I got tired of the severe cracking on them that I decided to eliminate them from my gardens for varieties that did much better. (that was a very wet and cool year here and cracking was a major issue).
Cherokee Purple was eliminated because of it's inconsistant taste. Some were very tasty and others were anything but. I found other darks to be much superior in taste and production. The Cherokee Purple/Brandywine crosses were especially tasty and had all the good qualities without the bad that are found in Cherokee Purple. Therefore I would recommend Bear Creek and Gary O'Sena (two of the darker Cherokee Purple Brandywine crosses,along with their pink sisters Liz Birt and Dora).
Amazon Chocolate has been my favorite dark tomato for a few years now, even battling my best Black Brandywines, but then Dana's Dusky Rose came along and it dropped a bit in my ratings. DDR is a taste sensation that's just incredible, although it doesn't get as large as Amazon Chocolate and some other favorites, it does have big taste. It was edged out of the #1 spot this year by Bear Creek but just barely. The year before it held a strong #1 position.
I wish I could be as positive about Carbon, or Paul Robeson or some of the others, but I cannot, they just didn't come close in my taste tests, but they were significantly better than Black from Tula or Japanese Black Triffle. BFT was much too sweet tasting for my palette, and JBT was to bland and watery. Although both looked very nice they fell apart in tasting.
Again, that's here in southern Adams County, Pa. Other locations may present different results. I think everyone should try different varieties till they discover those that do best for them in their locations. Hope everyone has a great season ahead without the extremes that drive us all crazy!
Camo

[Full Moon]

I have to stop reading these threads my list is going through the roof!

[fortyonenorth]

Originally Posted by Full Moon

I have to stop reading these threads my list is going through the roof!

Yeah - Camo has that effect on people

[beefyboy]

Just picked my first J.D Special yesterday and ate it! it is tied for 1st out of 42 varieties. Taste that was rich but also very sweet. I did not grow it last year and grew Dana's instead. I have them growing side by side this year and will taste test them with others for a comparison. Dana's was surely not this good but a different year it was!

[gryffin]

I'm filling a shopping cart at Gleckers as we speak. So far, it contains: Brad's Black Heart, Spudatula, Spudakee, Indian Stripe, JD's Special C-Tex, and Gary'O Sena. I won't be able to grow them all this year, but at least that way I postpone my decision....

Some of the suggestions (Bear Creek, Dana's Dusky Rose, Amazon Chocolate) are pretty hard to find- I've previously posted and received offers for several other varieties on the Wanted forum, so I'm feeling guilty about requesting anything else!

[kath]

Originally Posted by beefyboy

Just picked my first J.D Special yesterday and ate it! it is tied for 1st out of 42 varieties. Taste that was rich but also very sweet. I did not grow it last year and grew Dana's instead. I have them growing side by side this year and will taste test them with others for a comparison. Dana's was surely not this good but a different year it was!

Last year I had the same sweet experience with JD's and that's why it's my favorite dark so far. Giving it lots of dark competition this year, though, but hoping it tastes just as good in 2011.

[kath]

[QUOTE=gryffin;197499]I'm filling a shopping cart at Gleckers as we speak. So far, it contains: Brad's Black Heart, Spudatula, Spudakee, Indian Stripe, JD's Special C-Tex, and Gary'O Sena. I won't be able to grow them all this year, but at least that way I postpone my decision....]


...a shopping cart at Glecklers?! Just placed an on-line order with them last night and don't even want to think of how much more I might have been tempted in an actual store with a CART to fill!

[camochef]

Originally Posted by gryffin

I'm filling a shopping cart at Gleckers as we speak. So far, it contains: Brad's Black Heart, Spudatula, Spudakee, Indian Stripe, JD's Special C-Tex, and Gary'O Sena. I won't be able to grow them all this year, but at least that way I postpone my decision....

Some of the suggestions (Bear Creek, Dana's Dusky Rose, Amazon Chocolate) are pretty hard to find- I've previously posted and received offers for several other varieties on the Wanted forum, so I'm feeling guilty about requesting anything else!

Gryffin,
Amazon Chocolate was offered initially by Amishland, but has since become available at a few other sources and I think Marianna's is one of them. Bear Creek should be available at Tatianna's as well as a few other sources. It is one of the four Brandywine/Cherokee crosses by Keith Muller (sp), and is the best tasting of the four but the pink version (Liz Birt) is much larger and quite close in taste!
Dana's Dusky Rose has been distributed widely by myself and others the past two years and might still be available by contacting Dana at Dana's Flower and Garden place here in Littlestown, Pa.
All three are worth the effort to search out and secure. You might want to add a red called Tarasenko6 to your search too.
Enjoy the searchin' as well as the gardening!
Camo

[camochef]

Just wanted to point out that Dana's Dusky Rose (DDR) is not the same as Dana or Dana's. DDR is a dark, medium sized tomato that excel's in taste and is quite high in production. It does start showing signs of septoria towards the end of the season but then most tomatoes seem to have that problem here lately.
Enjoy!
Camo

[amideutch]

Here's a couple good Blacks I grew last year courtesy Suze and Camo. Ami

#1 Blue Ridge Black
#2 Dana's Dusy Rose

[gryffin]

I have ordered my list of blacks from Gleckler's (along with a dwarf tomato to try in my Aerogarden). I also found sources for DDR and Tarasenko6.

Now I just need to rent a large garden plot to supplement the space in my backyard...

[beefyboy]

For the record!! I am growing Dana's Dusky rose and comparing it head on with J.D Special and having 3 other people tasting them, it was a resounding 4 out of 4 picking J.D over DDR. I will be taste testing many this year since my yields are quite large.

[epiphanista]

For me, Black From Tula is fabulous in taste, variable in yield. And they need to be truly ripe when you eat them or they are a bit sour. Ripe for me has been that the tomato gives with pressure, even the greenish shoulders, and smells better than it did the day before! Ripe does have a different smell to me. But maybe I'm sensitive.

[mcsee]

Just to add one more to list of those already mentioned, that being Morado which we found had excellent taste. I'd recommend it to anyone.