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Jul 27, 2018
Tomatoes for every taste
Tim Duffin  Brand Manager

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


   
Tags: choose tomatoes
Reader Comments (2)
I have moved to Az. from Tx. and need info on varieties suitable for our climate. I live in the Phoenix area. Also need to know when I should plant s for success, both seeds and transplants. We want tomatoes for eating, not sauce. I personally like larger fruits.
Thanks for your information
Friday, July 27, 2018 | Pam Chapman
Hi Pam! New climates mean new planting calendars for sure. And to get the best regional advice, we highly recommend reaching out to your local university extension office. Here is a link to the Maricopa country vegetable calendar: https://extension.arizona.edu/pubs/vegetable-planting-calendar-maricopa-county

You can also enter in your zone and zip code to our online Growing Calendar at Burpee.com (our mail-order division): https://www.burpee.com/growingcalendar This can tell you when to sow seeds and transplants in your area -- crop by crop!
Monday, July 30, 2018 | Burpee Team Member
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