Burpee's Black Pearl

toni5735 · February 22, 2006

Is anyone trying this new introduction from Burpee? What do you think of their claim that these cherry tomatoes will taste like concord grapes if refrigerated and can you tell that I bought into this seductive thought? Peel me a grape darling! :wink:

**carolyn137** · February 22, 2006

Toni,

If I had considered growing it, which I didn't, I think I'd grow it in the original form, which is probably Black Cherry as introduced by TGS.

Do I know that for a fact? Nope, but from several threads elsewhere on this one that's what others have pretty much decided.

And they've also decided it's poor form to even speak of refrigerating tomatoes.

Burpee hasn't had any breeders for what, maybe 15, maybe 20 years, so they, like others, probably have paid some place like Petoseeds for the right to name something and then given their own name to it and say it was introduced by them.

There's another new one that Burpee introduced this year, I can't remember the name, but there were guessing games on that one as well.

toni5735 · February 22, 2006

But if I don't refrigerate them then how will I know if they taste like grapes?!

I want special, magical tomatoes that do tricks!

BTW, I know of "someone" that refrigerated their recent stash of heirloom tomatoes.

Thank you Carolyn for sharing your most appreciated knowledge.

Toni

angelstiger · February 22, 2006

Quote:

BTW, I know of "someone" that refrigerated their recent stash of heirloom tomatoes.

Sacrilege!! In the old days they would string a person up for such a sin. LOL

**carolyn137** · February 22, 2006

OK, OK, I confess.

I was sent a huge box of lovely heirloom tomatoes from some folks in FL. And while they included some that were almost ripe, some half ripe and some on the turn, there's just so many tomatoes that a person can eat/day.

So........I had to refrigerate a FEW of them and here it is almost two weeks later and there are still two large ones there and one of those is going to be gone by 7 PM tonight.

And not a one of those refrigerated ones tasted like grapes, I'l tell you that right now.

travis · February 22, 2006

"There's another new one that Burpee introduced this year, I can't remember the name, but there were guessing games on that one as well" [Carolyn]

Red Lightening Tomato: "New Burpee Exclusive 82 days. Lightening in a tomato! A startlingly new look for fresh salads and electrifying in the garden (ooh, watch out for accidental electricutions) A vast improvement on 'Red Zebra' (how does one measure "vast improvement" when measuring against mediocre?), an heirloom from which it is derived (if you accept certain definitions of 'created heirloom'), 'Red Lightening' loads up with brilliant red
2 1/2 - 3" fruits that are consistently covered with 'hand painted' yellow stripes (positively psychodelic under a black light). The flavor is irrisistible too (I'll bet!) -- sweet, tangy and with rich aroma (when heavily sprayed with a fish emulsion foliar). Vigorous plants grow 5' tall, producing tomatoes continuously until fall (or until it falls to wilt or blight whichever strikes first). Indeterminate."

As far as a refrigerated Black Pearl tomato tasting like a Concord grape, I still maintain that if you refrigerate any cherry tomato long enough it will get slimy inside and the skin will shrivvel away from the meat thereby rendering it texturally like a Concord grape. Since most people derive a significant part of their "taste" perception of fruits from their textures, I can see how a slimy, cold, refrigerated sweet cherry tomato in your mouth might resemble a Concord grape if you were blindfolded and holding your nose.

PV

toni5735 · February 22, 2006

Bon Appetit Carolyn, to your health!

Wow Papa Vic! Now tell us how you REALLY feel about Burpee. :wink:

**carolyn137** · February 22, 2006

Thanks PV for that's the one I couldn't remember.

Your critique of that was good, but not as good as your commentary on Jimmy Williams patent application.

And I stand beside you PV with respect to my feelings about Burpee as well.

spyfferoni · February 23, 2006

I am wondering what opinions you all have about Park's seed? I am curious about their Razleberry tomato and didn't know what to think of there new Snowberry tomato:
"The only white-fleshed Cherry Tomato I know of, Snowberry offers an exciting new look for the plate. These 1-inch fruits are creamy yellow on the outside, pure white within, and boast a full-bodied, sweet Tomato tang that everyone in the family will love."
Sound an awful lot like Dr Carolyn???

Thanks for your input.

Tyffanie

**carolyn137** · February 23, 2006

Years ago Park's used to offer a great selection of seed for perennials, and I did buy quite a bit back then.

Other than that I am definitely not turned on by their veggie offerings and haven't purchased anything in maybe the last 15 years.

There are so many other seed companies that offer really great stuff in the veggie areas.

If Snowberry is the only cherry tomato with white flesh that they know, per the blurb. then they don't get around much.

Actually Snowberry was bred by the same folks in the Netherlands where Bloody Butcher and Cream Sausage and Vintage Wine and Summer Cider and a few others came from. And THEY know better, b/c I know the situation there. There has been a long term relationship between Park's and this firm in the Netherlands, especially with regard to flower seed, and it's a great firm BTW, but Park's has resisted offering much beyond the standard hoo ha in the tomato area.

OK, so you DID ask.

travis · February 23, 2006

" ... but Park's has resisted offering much beyond the standard hoo ha in the tomato area." [Carolyn]

Before I go very far with my comments, I'll have to compare the 2006 Parks catalog with the 2005, but it seems they're offering several "heirlooms" this year that I don't remember from last year.

That's wouldn't be so much an endorsement of Parks, rather it would be a testament to the influence and power that hobby growers like you guys have in the commercial seed market.

Let me get back to you with a more full list and comparison to Park's 2006 OP seed offers.

PV

**coronabarb** · February 23, 2006

PV, you're a crack-up!!

travis · February 23, 2006

Ooops, I messed up about Park's catalog. I got it mixed up with Jung's which has several heirlooms offered.

Actually, Park's only has Brandywine offered individually as an "heirloom."

They do have Ildi, Golden Gem, Snowberry, Marcellino, and Cupid as cherries and grapes, but they don't say one way or the other which are OP.

And, get this, Park's offers an "heirloom rainbow blend" consisting of a grab bag packet with seeds for Aunt Ruby's German Green, Big Rainbow, Black from Tula, Brandywine Red, Cherokee Purple, and Dixie Golden Giant. The "rainbow blend" is a total of 6 varieties, 30 seeds, all mixed up together. Wooo Hooo!

But they do sell Big Beef and Jet Star, so they can't be all bad.

PV

February 22, 2006	#1
toni5735 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Chicago, Illinois Posts: 15	Burpee's Black Pearl Is anyone trying this new introduction from Burpee? What do you think of their claim that these cherry tomatoes will taste like concord grapes if refrigerated and can you tell that I bought into this seductive thought? Peel me a grape darling! :wink:

February 22, 2006	#2
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	Toni, If I had considered growing it, which I didn't, I think I'd grow it in the original form, which is probably Black Cherry as introduced by TGS. Do I know that for a fact? Nope, but from several threads elsewhere on this one that's what others have pretty much decided. And they've also decided it's poor form to even speak of refrigerating tomatoes. Burpee hasn't had any breeders for what, maybe 15, maybe 20 years, so they, like others, probably have paid some place like Petoseeds for the right to name something and then given their own name to it and say it was introduced by them. There's another new one that Burpee introduced this year, I can't remember the name, but there were guessing games on that one as well. __________________ Carolyn

February 22, 2006	#5
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	OK, OK, I confess. I was sent a huge box of lovely heirloom tomatoes from some folks in FL. And while they included some that were almost ripe, some half ripe and some on the turn, there's just so many tomatoes that a person can eat/day. So........I had to refrigerate a FEW of them and here it is almost two weeks later and there are still two large ones there and one of those is going to be gone by 7 PM tonight. And not a one of those refrigerated ones tasted like grapes, I'l tell you that right now. __________________ Carolyn

February 22, 2006	#8
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	Thanks PV for that's the one I couldn't remember. Your critique of that was good, but not as good as your commentary on Jimmy Williams patent application. And I stand beside you PV with respect to my feelings about Burpee as well. __________________ Carolyn

February 23, 2006	#9
spyfferoni Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Utah Posts: 675	Park's Seed??? I am wondering what opinions you all have about Park's seed? I am curious about their Razleberry tomato and didn't know what to think of there new Snowberry tomato: "The only white-fleshed Cherry Tomato I know of, Snowberry offers an exciting new look for the plate. These 1-inch fruits are creamy yellow on the outside, pure white within, and boast a full-bodied, sweet Tomato tang that everyone in the family will love." Sound an awful lot like Dr Carolyn??? Thanks for your input. Tyffanie

February 22, 2006	#6
travis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 2,984	"There's another new one that Burpee introduced this year, I can't remember the name, but there were guessing games on that one as well" [Carolyn] Red Lightening Tomato: "New Burpee Exclusive 82 days. Lightening in a tomato! A startlingly new look for fresh salads and electrifying in the garden (ooh, watch out for accidental electricutions) A vast improvement on 'Red Zebra' (how does one measure "vast improvement" when measuring against mediocre?), an heirloom from which it is derived (if you accept certain definitions of 'created heirloom'), 'Red Lightening' loads up with brilliant red 2 1/2 - 3" fruits that are consistently covered with 'hand painted' yellow stripes (positively psychodelic under a black light). The flavor is irrisistible too (I'll bet!) -- sweet, tangy and with rich aroma (when heavily sprayed with a fish emulsion foliar). Vigorous plants grow 5' tall, producing tomatoes continuously until fall (or until it falls to wilt or blight whichever strikes first). Indeterminate." As far as a refrigerated Black Pearl tomato tasting like a Concord grape, I still maintain that if you refrigerate any cherry tomato long enough it will get slimy inside and the skin will shrivvel away from the meat thereby rendering it texturally like a Concord grape. Since most people derive a significant part of their "taste" perception of fruits from their textures, I can see how a slimy, cold, refrigerated sweet cherry tomato in your mouth might resemble a Concord grape if you were blindfolded and holding your nose. PV

February 22, 2006	#7
toni5735 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Chicago, Illinois Posts: 15	Bon Appetit Carolyn, to your health! Wow Papa Vic! Now tell us how you REALLY feel about Burpee. :wink:

February 23, 2006	#12
coronabarb Tomatoville® Recipe Keeper Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Roseburg, Oregon - zone 7 Posts: 2,821	PV, you're a crack-up!! __________________ Corona~Barb Now an Oregon gal