Tomatoes for every taste
Do you ever ask yourself why there are so many different types of tomatoes? I used to.
Before becoming the Burpee Brand Manager I just thought there were two types of tomatoes – small and big. Small ones you put in salads and big ones you slice up and put on burgers. While this is true, there is also a lot more to understand about the kind of tomato you want to grow and eat.
Burpee has lots of tomatoes. They have:
- Beefsteak
- Slicers
- Paste
- Small fruited
- Heirloom
Each serves a different purpose – you foodies out there know what I mean.
Let’s start with Beefsteak tomatoes. Burpee has 13 beefsteak tomatoes, including their newest one, Atlas, which can be grown in a 16-inch patio container.
Beefsteaks are known for their large size, meaty texture and wonderful tomato flavor. I love this type. When I’m being civilized I cut it up for a BLT. When I’m not I eat it like an apple. I just love the juiciness of it.
Slicers are a bit like beefsteaks. However, beefsteaks come in many shapes whereas slicers are generally round. They have a thick skin yet are quite juicy. I tend to use slicers like Burpee’s 4th of July for tomato wedges in my salad. As an aside, 4th of July is an early tomato, so I get to enjoy it – you guessed it – right around the 4th of July.
Although I’m not much of a cook, I hear from my colleagues that Burpee’s Paste tomatoes are the best around. Favs include Gladiator and SuperSauce. SuperSauce clocks in at about 2 lbs. per tomato. There’s a lot of sauce in a 2-lb. tomato.
By now if your mouth isn’t watering then you probably aren’t a tomato fan. As I mentioned earlier, I thought small tomatoes were just for salads. Boy was I wrong. Some varieties I eat like candy. Baby Boomer is my favorite, but I also enjoy Napa Grape. I come home from work, go up to my deck, and as I’m harvesting my bounty I pop a few in my mouth. So tasty. Those I don’t eat right away I enjoy on a kabob with some mozzarella and chicken.
I’ve saved the best for last – Heirlooms. You really should know what you want when growing heirlooms. For heirlooms, Jersey Boy is my go-to. Bountiful and tasty. I slice them and put them on a plate with some olive oil and fresh parmesan cheese – wonderful.
Drop me a line @BurpeeHG and let me know what your favorite kind of tomato is and why. #tomatolover
