Readers’ favorite tomato picks
We recently asked readers to share their favorite tomatoes and comment on the debate over hybrid versus heirloom varieties. They wrote to us from all over California as well as Washington state and Louisiana to share their tomato successes and thoughts on heirlooms and hybrids. Was there a consensus? Read some of their responses here to find out, and find more online at latimes.com/home:
My favorite tomato from last year’s crop was a smallish yellow orb called a Lucid Gem. It was the taste test pick at our third annual Tomato Madness party. The Lucid Gem was voted the tastiest of my 37 homegrown varietals last year. Watch out: I have 51 different kinds of tomatoes growing now!
Brad Finn
Santa Clarita
I grow 20 to 40 plants each year in ground and in pots. I usually go for a wide variety of heirlooms, because they are so interesting and flavorful. One tomato that really stands out is Pink Berkeley Tie Dye. Large, meaty, juicy tomatoes with the intense flavor of a Purple Cherokee, but covered in gold stripes! Just gorgeous to look at and to eat.
Kaye Kittrell
Los Angeles
My favorite tomato is the Hillybilly/Flame. I love the taste — a splendid combination of sweet and acid. The tomato’s visual presentation is why I grow them. The reds, pinks and yellows on the skin offer a hint at what is inside. I never tire of cutting one open and just looking at it and enjoying its beautiful colors and patterns. It is almost a shame to finally eat them. I always do though.
Thomas Harkins
Hacienda Heights
My favorite last year was Cherokee Carbon, a cross between Cherokee Purple and Carbon tomatoes. They were tasty and productive and had good resistance to diseases that are common to backyard tomatoes.
John Sauln
San Diego
My favorite tomato is the Persimmon. It is a beautiful golden yellow tomato and is very prolific. It’s a medium to large tomato and is delicious fresh, roasted or
canned. Juicy and rich. Carol Krusesky Winthrop, Wash.
Paul Robeson is the best. Mr. Stripey is next. Then Old German. Of course the Brandywines and Cherokees. I grow 30 to 40 heirlooms every year and would never (with few exceptions) give up shape, color, etc. for hybrids/determinates.
Maureen Kopko
Los Angeles
I plant Early Girl and Big Beef. One produces right away and for most of the summer. Tastes good too. Big Beef produces large, delicious fruit right into fall. One Big Beef is still alive from last year and has smaller fruit with good flavor. Kathy Horbund
Venice
My favorites agree with the expert — Cherokee Purple and Black Krim. Great taste (I like dark tomatoes) and great production. Mike Celeste
San Dimas
Our favorite tomato, which we’ve been growing in a very large pot since 2015, is Sweet Cherry 100. We live about 1.5 miles from the ocean, so it’s been difficult to grow tomatoes that don’t succumb to mildew. But SC100 is fabulous, combining an enormous yield and wonderful sweet flavor. A big plus is that in our area SC100 lasts through the winter, this year providing us with tomatoes through February. Mag Parkhurst
Westchester
Brandy Boy has been a delicious success here in River Ridge, La., for the past four years. Misshapen sometimes, but
just so good. Velma Kantrow River Ridge, La.
Cherry style varieties Sun Gold and Sun Sugar are like candy. Juliet has a skin you can live with, has incredible disease resistance, good flavor, crack resistance and hangs off the vine in a ripe state longer than any other tomato I grow. Larry Sweet
San Jose
Brandywine is my favorite. That being said, I count myself lucky to get three or four in a season, which may be the result of living so close to the beach. But they are heavenly, big, meaty without being too firm. They are low acid, which I prefer, and make wonderful sauces for fish and pastas.
Lynda Adams
Newport Beach