Grub Update

[Grub]

Hi Brucy,
Really hard to recall what those reds were in that insalada caprese, but I'm guessing either Red Brandywine or Livingston's Favorites, my two most productive reds this year.

The best thing about this season is that the plants in my terribly slow bed are now setting fruit and the new bed, my fall crop, has some good young fruits. So plenty more to come and well after summer

Polish and Soldacki are the best in terms of production in the original beds. I will have to spray those plants soon as it's just so hot and humid and they're sufferiing somewhat.

Best wishes for your tommy season

[Grub]

Do I like to hear the sound of my own voice. Maybe But I need a break from work, so a few words from today...

Picked my first Cherokee Purple for the year. Ah, it's nice to have even one black on the bench amid all the other colours. Look forward to tucking in. I think CP has to be in every patch.

Ate my first Lucky Cross Pink, an RL selection from Craig in South Australia. And a very good selection too, I might add, with deep taste leaning more towards a Sudduth, Earl's Faux or Marianna's Peace than a regular pink PL. There must be good genes in there. Do I sense Brandywine Sudduth?

Akers West Virginia x Kellogg's Breakfast F4 is producing medium-sized red beefsteaks of unremarkable, average, okay flavour. I will save seed. Can I expect anything better in future generations? I don't know, but maybe you can suggest something either way?

Victorian Dwarf is very productive and pretty, but it's a pretty basic tomato taste. In the melting pot you go.

Matts Wild are tasting better and sweeter now. They need to be very ripe. Conversely, Broad Ripple Yellow Currant tastes off if it's too ripe. I'm settling for the just-ripe citrus hit.

More big Ernestos coming in. More of most things.... need to get back to you with something new and exciting. Meantime, Lucky Cross Pink is the best new one today.

Duck.. too late... Grub

[bully]

Matts Wild are tasting better and sweeter now. They need to be very ripe.

too true!

[Tom_Ato]

Grub, My mouth is watering. Great posts and pics. Now I'm going to start thinking about what I'm growing this year. I just have to remember to leave a bit of room for everything else.

Ken

[Grub]

So what ones are you thinking about, Ken?

I look forward to seeing your shortlist hereabouts.

Earl's Faux is still the best this season.

:wink:

[Grub]

Just picked another peck and I'm smiling broadly because Golden Queen does indeed have a pink blush at the blossom end.

A little yellow-on-yellow taste test tomorrow morning with Golden Monarch.



Prue's has been great and the main-table reds just keep coming. Another Ernesto here too.

Now a question for you: it's been humid here for weeks but no rain. And no watering. But why would quite a few toms have serious cracking? Could it be lack of water? It's not an issue as we're getting through them, just surprising.

Have a good one,
Grub

[Tom_Ato]

Well, here's my shortlist by memory, Grub:

Green Giant (great taste at the CHOPTAG fest--I hope one of my three seeds germinates)
Aunt Ruby's German Green
Sungold
Grandfather Ashlock (new for me)
Kimberly (new for me, and I want some earlies)
Earl's Faux
Marianna's Peace
German (I really loved the taste at CHOPTAG last year--from Mark via Fusion)
Andes Horn (from Earl)
Sebastopol
Nepal (from Mark who labeled it "a workhorse")
Aunt Gerties Gold (big taste, low production for me)
Lucky Cross (trying this one again)
White Oxheart (don't have a clue)
Shuntukski (from Earl)
Sad Sac (We'll see about this one)

So whaddya think of that list? Any clinkers in the bunch? It includes 9 new ones for me. No doubt I'll pick up a couple others at the plant swap.

Ken

[Grub]

They look great to me. Although I don't know a few of them, ie, German, Andes Horn (read about it) and Sebastopol.

Should be able to add something on Grandfather Ashlock and Green Giant in a couple of weeks.

[Patrina_Pepperina]

Originally Posted by Grub

Rose Quartz Multiflora (red) is a very nice prolific cherry and satisfying in every way.

Grub, were those RQM seeds from me? If so, it has thrown a red from pink fruits here, which I believe has happened occasionally for other people. I also heard that the pink fruits taste better. Anyhow, it's meant to be pink, so thought I'd better alert you before you share seeds with anyone.

PP

[Grub]

PP,

It's red and I know it should be pink, but it's super sweet. Nothing more, just soooo sweet. Which in itself is kinda interesting or fun. But I look forward to trying this one w/some more depth of flavour.

Grub.

[travis]

Grub,

In lookin' at your picture of Golden Monarch sliced on a bun back on page 2 of this thread in your post of Thursday, Feb. 9, at 5:06 p.m. ...

Are those actually red streaks intruding into the interior flesh of that slice on the left? Is that a common coloration, even in small amounts, in the interior of other Golden Monarchs you've sliced?

PV

[Grub]

Hi PV,

Yes, the pink blush and red vein is common on Golden Monarch and Golden Queen. I did a head-to-head taste comparo and would you believe they taste exactly the same.

Craig said he thought Golden Monarch was a selection of Golden Queen and tastewise I just have to agree. SO identical it's a joke.

Meantime, I'm not sure what news I have from Down Under, but I do know I'm running out of bench space

There's a really nice truss of big Dr Neals up the back there and some great Prues, an Ernesto and a couple of really lovey Lucky Cross Pinks. The cherries are pumping — I blanched some and pounded herbs and made a spaghetti and fresh scallop main — and Red Brandywine and Livingstons Favorites are an endless source or sauce of reds.


Best, Grub

[Grub]

The rain was falling so I rushed out and picked one of my prized fall tomatoes. This is my first Neves Azorean Red. I really don't know what to expect on the palate, but it's a mighty red. And there are other giants waiting in the wings. All good fun. Some Ashleigh at almost the same stage Mmm.

[Grub]

Hello Smiley Tomato Family,

My tomatoes won't stop producing. Picked a pile of (Earl’s) Polish, more Prue, endless Livingston's Favorites and Red Brandywines, more of this and that, Sungolds, Matts Wild, a big Ashleigh, and Soldacki, third year running, which is crazy. Rinaldo is pumping. All my Jaune Flammee have orange flesh and are zippy. So many greens. Grub’s Mystery Greens.

Good golf-balls reds everywhere. Kimberly all year long. . Russian reds and Mountain Princess and New Big Dwarf (pink) and Juanne Negib (yellow) still. I think some earlies that also produce late taste better. Kimberly tastes very good to me. End of broken record…

Can't explain it, but Green Giant has suddenly gone wild and is setting heaps of fruit and Marianna's Peace is exactly the same. These guys have been biding time and now they've decided to turn it on with bulk fruit set. Looking forward to trying both.

I planted a few down the front garden and decided to try the no-spray-I-dun-giva-technique. And no water. Matts Wild is so sweet but not a lot more, Russian Red is good, but the Black Cherry is great (sorry can’t recall official name). When I leave to walk to work in the morning I skirt by the bush and pick a handful, careful that the juice doesn’t explode down my freshly pressed shirt Mmm. Salty. Yep, salty and really good.

But in respect of the others, if someone would point me to the tap I'd think about turning it off. I just spent another four hours making sauce today. Not a huge amount of sauce, just a great tasting sauce. Next, I'm going to make an all green tomato sauce. A pommodore verde passatta (spelling). W/ chicken and pesto and pasta )

Anyway. I'm retiring from — sorry — just tying them up. I have no more pantyhose ties, no spare tee shirts, it's now produce and die time. That is, but for Green Giant and Marianna's Peace. Oh, I forgot, and Cuostralee in a dud spot if setting fruit. Ditto Yasha Yugoslavian and Grandfather Ashlock. Cripes!

One of my faves this year is Prue. I have two plants. And whenever I get a fruit I come inside in an almost reverential manner, cupping the fruit like a chalice, and I either earmark it or eat it right there and then. It’s one of my favourite fresh slicers. I love a tomatoy tomato, but after 400 million a nice balanced Prue is like a glass of smooth wine. It has depth and nuances and sweetness AND it’s moreish according to my palate. Very accessible. I really like my two yellows too: Golden Monarch and Queen.

I should shutup. I better skiddladdle. I'm ranting.
Have fun, fellow villains
Luv, Grub.

[cottonpicker]

GREAT REPORT, Grub!!! THANKS!!! Got me all pumped up!!! Now, where did I put all those tomato seeds?? Bring on Springtime!!