Pat ,
Like good wine, good food should have a look, a smell, a taste, a
texture, and sometimes, an effect. (I'm thinking chiles but there are
probably others.) How was the Anna Russian tomato? I'm asking you
because retailers always praise their own merchandise.

To push the wine analogy (I hope not to far), I'm sure the soil and
weather have much to do with the resulting appearance, flavor, smell,
and texture.

Previously (don't laugh), I have mostly grown Early Girl and Juliet
tomatoes. That has definitely changed. Compared to the Striped German
and Brandywine, they can't compete, except with the cardboard tomatoes
at the market.
- Bill


In article ,
(Pat Kiewicz) wrote:

William L. Rose said:

This is the first time I have tried this and it may be that the
constellations of flavors in each tomato will take me awhile to
recognize. It was very interesting though. Anyone else care to share
their impressions of comparison tasting of tomatoes or other fruits?

There is a lot to be said about texture in tomatoes, too. Some are
meatier than others. And some that don't impress when eaten plain
really SNAP! when used in a sandwich with a bit of mayo or Miracle Whip
or served with a drizzle of salad dressing while others seem to fade.

For instance, two of the yellowish tomatoes I'm growing this year are
completely different in texture, (initial) taste and how they are best
served.

'Azoychka' looks like a small beefsteak but is light yellow and quite early.
It has a juicy, delicate texture with a lot of pulp and tends to have a
lovely pink blush through the center. It's flavor is pleasant, sweet, and
delicate with an extra fruitiness. In my opinon, this one is best served
without anything other than a dash of salt. It sags in salads and is just
too delicate for sandwiches.

'German Orange Strawberry' is a large oxheart type, large, deep golden-
yellow (not *quite* orange). It is extremely meaty, with very few seeds
and I found it dissapointing when eaten sliced with salt and pepper. But
chop it for a salad or slice it on a sandwhich or even drizzle it with a bit
of
ranch dressing and this variety suddenly becomes exceptional.

('Azoychka' is carried by Tomato Growers Supply and 'German Orange
Strawberry' is available from Pinetree Garden Seeds.)

(Oxheart varieties start out looking like they are never going to make it,
with whispy, weak foliage but don't let that fool you. I almost chucked
my 'German Orange Strawberry' because it looked even weaker than
my 'Anna Russian' oxheart. I'm very glad I didn't.)