Tomato tasting gems

BigVanVader · July 18, 2015

At the SPLATT gathering this year 3 tomatoes I tasted were standouts to my palate. Chocolate cherry, Blush, and Large Barred Boar. I was curious of others experience growing them and what your thoughts were?

**carolyn137** · July 18, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

At the SPLATT gathering this year 3 tomatoes I tasted were standouts to my palate. Chocolate cherry, Blush, and Large Barred Boar. I was curious of others experience growing them and what your thoughts were?

Blush I love as well as Fred's similar one Maglia Rose, I very much prefer BlacK Cherry bred by Vince Sapp over Chocolate Cherry, bred by Aaron Whaley and I haven't grown Large Barred Boar,

So there you go, just my opinion,

Carolyn

Fred Hempel · July 18, 2015

Blush sucks.

Redbaron · July 18, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

At the SPLATT gathering this year 3 tomatoes I tasted were standouts to my palate. Chocolate cherry, Blush, and Large Barred Boar. I was curious of others experience growing them and what your thoughts were?

I love Blush, also prefer black cherry to chocolate cherry and never tried large barred boar.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fred Hempel

Blush sucks.

Why would you say that? It's a joke?

bower · July 18, 2015

Blush is on my short list of varieties with flavour I absolutely loved, with Indian Stripe, Eva Purple Ball, Pale Perfect Purple, Isis Candy, Galinas Yellow,.. . Black Cherry is also on that list but I haven't tasted Chocolate Cherry - my friends are growing it this year so I'll soon find out. Haven't tasted the Boar yet either.

BigVanVader · July 18, 2015

Hmm my thoughts were opposite on CC vs BC, guess I will need to grow both next year to figure it out. Also Blush was amazing and I assume that was sarcasm. I grew Submarine Blush this year but liked the taste of Blush better as did the others I ask to compare. Keep the opinions coming folks. Interested in how easily they spkit, disease issues etc as well as taste.

BigVanVader · July 18, 2015

Indian stripe is outstanding! My fruits ripening now are showing very pronounced stripes too which is cool. So far I like all the blacks I have grown but IS the best.

bower · July 18, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

Hmm my thoughts were opposite on CC vs BC, guess I will need to grow both next year to figure it out. Also Blush was amazing and I assume that was sarcasm. I grew Submarine Blush this year but liked the taste of Blush better as did the others I ask to compare. Keep the opinions coming folks. Interested in how easily they spkit, disease issues etc as well as taste.

I do think to some extent that disease issues are regional, so one year here might not be relevant to your situation. Blush wasn't the earliest or most productive here and suffered some early blight in the cold damp times, but it set better than others when the heat was starting to cause blossom drop and no splits for me, overall not best but not bad production for an indeterminate cherry. As Fred also pointed out in another thread, they are at their best taste when yellow with red stripiing - overripe ones get red and are past their prime. I really enjoyed the ones I froze in their prime too - candy sweet pizza toppers in the winter.

My Indian Stripes won't be ripe befrore late August, I reckon, in this extra cool year. For me IS has decent disease resistance ie some minor leaf fungal issues which are not too high maintenance, and producing really nice fruit even later in the season because the stems stayed good.

IS, Blush, and Galinas Yellow I will grow again when the space is available... Eva Purple Ball and Pale Perfect Purple weren't good producers for me so not high on the list, and Isis Candy didn't tolerate my greenhouse conditions well so low on the regrow list in spite of the great flavour of these varieties, not so well suited to my climate.

Fred Hempel · July 19, 2015

Yes. Sarcastic. I love Blush, but I am totally biased. My son bred it.

SharonRossy · July 19, 2015

I love IS. My second year growing it. I like the fact that it's not too tall and very robust. Lots of fruit forming and it was my healthiest last year so fingers crossed. So far one of my favorite blacks. I'm not growing blush, but am growing green tiger, lucky tiger and grew out Purple bumble bee and Yellow BB but gave them away. I have Maglia Rose on my potential grow list for next year as well as many many others, Blush being one of them!

BigVanVader · July 19, 2015

God, Im hijacking my own thread lol. I grew pink/purple/sunrise bumblebee this year and they are great all around. I didn't have time to get a few staked and they are still producing well and disease free sprawling on the ground. In fact some I planted in an area where the pH was way off and they were knotted and twisted but I left them to see what would happen, this was the result.

naseer · July 21, 2015

I'm growing blush for the first time this year, in 5b. Was excited about this variety based on what I've read in the Baker Creek catalog and (I think) at Hudson Valley Seed Library blog.

The 2 plants I put in are very strong and produce high yield. The fruits have a somewhat thick skin, so they resist cracking. I have to admit that they are beautiful in appearance and if I had a farm stand they'd probably sell like hot cakes. As for taste, mine came out medium in flavor. Not particularly strong in sweetness or tartness. Obviously this could be an artifact of my growing conditions, as others have reported excellent flavor. I'm curious to learn more about this variety and try specimens that have been grown by others.

Fred, congrats to your son for having selected an award-winning variety!

July 18, 2015	#1
BigVanVader Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Greenville, South Carolina Posts: 3,099	Tomato tasting gems At the SPLATT gathering this year 3 tomatoes I tasted were standouts to my palate. Chocolate cherry, Blush, and Large Barred Boar. I was curious of others experience growing them and what your thoughts were?

July 18, 2015	#3
Fred Hempel Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Sunol, CA Posts: 2,723	Blush sucks.

July 18, 2015	#5
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	Blush is on my short list of varieties with flavour I absolutely loved, with Indian Stripe, Eva Purple Ball, Pale Perfect Purple, Isis Candy, Galinas Yellow,.. . Black Cherry is also on that list but I haven't tasted Chocolate Cherry - my friends are growing it this year so I'll soon find out. Haven't tasted the Boar yet either.

July 19, 2015	#9
Fred Hempel Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Sunol, CA Posts: 2,723	Yes. Sarcastic. I love Blush, but I am totally biased. My son bred it.

July 19, 2015	#10
SharonRossy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Montreal Posts: 1,140	I love IS. My second year growing it. I like the fact that it's not too tall and very robust. Lots of fruit forming and it was my healthiest last year so fingers crossed. So far one of my favorite blacks. I'm not growing blush, but am growing green tiger, lucky tiger and grew out Purple bumble bee and Yellow BB but gave them away. I have Maglia Rose on my potential grow list for next year as well as many many others, Blush being one of them!

July 21, 2015	#12
naseer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Poughkeepsie, NY Posts: 15	I'm growing blush for the first time this year, in 5b. Was excited about this variety based on what I've read in the Baker Creek catalog and (I think) at Hudson Valley Seed Library blog. The 2 plants I put in are very strong and produce high yield. The fruits have a somewhat thick skin, so they resist cracking. I have to admit that they are beautiful in appearance and if I had a farm stand they'd probably sell like hot cakes. As for taste, mine came out medium in flavor. Not particularly strong in sweetness or tartness. Obviously this could be an artifact of my growing conditions, as others have reported excellent flavor. I'm curious to learn more about this variety and try specimens that have been grown by others. Fred, congrats to your son for having selected an award-winning variety!