Impromptu Taste Test

[Mark_Thompson]

So what started as a simple side by side to see which big orange beauty had better taste deteriorated into a broader taste test. Three palates were involved, mine, wifey’s, and neighbor lady. Conclusions are as follows:

KBX and Sweet Ozark Orange, same same. Excellent flavor but no one could tell any difference between the two. As such, I think I’ll continue growing both.

Orange Icicle, not as good as above slicers but fine taste. Works for me as this is my yellow tomato sauce variety.

Gardener’s Sweetheart- gahbage. Apparently this open pollinated variety tastes like a modern hybrid selected for fruit shape and probably shelf life.

Bosque Green Cherry, clear flavor favorite, highest marks from all three of us. Bonus is that I find it fairly split resistant.

Brad’s Atomic Grape, got such comments as, “Ugh what’s wrong with that one?” and “Gross, tastes like perfume!”
Wasn’t what I expected, will follow up with this one in a future test.

I believe the Second Annual BLT Party is going to be a go for this year, probably early September, so I will try to get a broader tasting going then.


Eta-correction on Gardener’s Sweetheart.

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[karstopography]

Much thanks for the reviews @Mark_Thompson

Most of the reviews I have read pan Brad’s Atomic Grape. At least it produces consistent results, even if they are not favorable.

I had understood Gardener’s Sweetheart was an open-pollinated type.

Both KBX and SOO are on potential grow lists for myself, but I’m only interested in growing one large orange tomato plant. Is there anything else to say about each that might tip the scales one way or another?

[Mark_Thompson]

@karstopography Thanks for the Gardener’s Sweetheart correction.

For the big boys, KBX is PL, SOO is RL, so if that helps tip it for you. @JRinPA gets really large SOO’s, I do not. I might get marginally better yields out of KBX, but not by much. Sorry if that sounded like a politician’s answer, but I don’t have anything strong to say either way.

[karstopography]

@karstopography Thanks for the Gardener’s Sweetheart correction.

For the big boys, KBX is PL, SOO is RL, so if that helps tip it for you. @JRinPA gets really large SOO’s, I do not. I might get marginally better yields out of KBX, but not by much. Sorry if that sounded like a politician’s answer, but I don’t have anything strong to say either way.

That’s great, much appreciated. But, even if Gardener’s Sweetheart is open pollinated doesn’t change anything about the taste. I had it on my. 2025 grow list. Time to reconsider and find a replacement cherry or just skip growing a cherry, small fruited type tomato. They aren’t very popular in this house.

[Vanman]

As I have said before, KBX was unproductive and poor flavor for me. SOO is productive and flavorful and usually produces large to very large tomatoes, as in hanging of all sides of a BLT. I have a couple SOO, 12-13 oz on the counter now. They have always been larger than this, but this is a bad year for all of my tomatoes.

[karstopography]

As I have said before, KBX was unproductive and poor flavor for me. SOO is productive and flavorful and usually produces large to very large tomatoes, as in hanging of all sides of a BLT. I have a couple SOO, 12-13 oz on the counter now. They have always been larger than this, but this is a bad year for all of my tomatoes.

I think you sold me, SOO it is for 2025. Just revised my 2025 grow list for the 1,000th time.

[Vanman]

As I have said before, KBX was unproductive and poor flavor for me. SOO is productive and flavorful and usually produces large to very large tomatoes, as in hanging of all sides of a BLT. I have a couple SOO, 12-13 oz on the counter now. They have always been larger than this, but this is a bad year for all of my tomatoes.

I think you sold me, SOO it is for 2025. Just revised my 2025 grow list for the 1,000th time.

I hope you are as well pleased with it as I am. One of mine will end up on a BLT later today, maybe two.

[Mark_Thompson]

@Vanman Have you grown regular Kellog’s Breakfast? Wondering if anyone has a comparison between that and KBX

[Ken4230]

Most of the reviews I have read pan Brad’s Atomic Grape. At least it produces consistent results, even if they are not favorable.

Both KBX and SOO are on potential grow lists for myself, but I’m only interested in growing one large orange tomato plant. Is there anything else to say about each that might tip the scales one way or another?

I grew Ozark's tomato when he was distributing the seeds at Tomatoville. Seem like the more radial cracking it had the sweeter it was. Probably my favorite orange tomato, KBX is prettier but I will take great taste over looks any day.

I have never had any luck with Brad's tomatoes plus I am not a GMO fan. They are sure pretty though.

[Mark_Thompson]

@Ken4230 The only GMO tomato available to us is the purple one that just came out this year

[Vanman]

@Vanman Have you grown regular Kellog’s Breakfast? Wondering if anyone has a comparison between that and KBX

I have never grown Kellog's Breakfast. I grew KBX because I like potato leaf tomatoes. Supposedly they are more disease resistant.

[Ken4230]

@Ken4230 The only GMO tomato available to us is the purple one that just came out this year

I have grown both SOO and KBX. I prefer SOO for taste, size and productivity. Almost all SOO had serious radial cracking. KBX is prettier.
My mistake, thought several of Brad's were GMO, even with that, the ones I have grown didn't impress me all that much.
I like Big tomatoes and the Brad's I grew were small. They are absolutely gorgeous though.

[MissS]

@Vanman Have you grown regular Kellog’s Breakfast? Wondering if anyone has a comparison between that and KBX

I have both KBX and Kellog's Breakfast in the garden this year. There is nothing near ready yet for a comparison, but I will let you know if it happens.

[JRinPA]

27.JPG

Pics of yesterday harvested SOO.

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Clockwise from upper right,
14 oz
18 oz
19 oz
16 oz

And I ate the 23 oz one that was picked a week back, yesterday. SOO throws some thumpers, here in ground in SE PA. They are what I consider typical. After the 3rd truss the size lessens a bit.

I have three plants at 1 ft spacing. You can see three on the bottom of one plant, and one from another plant. A bunch more set on the way up. SOO, I feel, is a week or two later on the heavy harvest than Cuostralee. When I started eating tomatoes today I ate the 3 split Black from Tula. Then started in on reds. I know the SOO are good, but I just tend to go for the reds first, all things equal. Hence the planting ratio of 6 red early, then 7red/2black/3yellow/4pink.

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The line about 6/7 grids up is where the blossoms were failing during the heat, seems to happen every year in early-mid July. Then they start setting well again in late July.

I never tried KBX. I think these (edit:SOO) taste better and have more character and shelf life than Kellogg's Breakfast. KB was more just sweet, bland tartness, and got soft quickly. But it never got a fair shake versus SOO because I grew KB in cages or florida weave, and didn't limit suckers. I never took it head to head with SOO in a two stem trial.

[MissS]

27.JPGPics of yesterday harvested SOO.28.JPG

The line about 6/7 grids up is where the blossoms were failing during the heat, seems to happen every year in early-mid July. Then they start setting well again in late July.

.

It's not always the heat that induces the plants to drop their blossoms. If the plant is loaded with fruit to it's capacity to support their growth, then it will abort blossoms until you have picked some of the tomatoes off of the plant. Once it is relieved of some of it's burden then it will resume setting fruit.