Tomatoes
These are only a few of the possibilities. Ed George of The Peach Farm, who grows more than 100 varieties himself, says he’s seen lists of at least 500 heirloom tomato varieties.
Farmers’ market shoppers have help with the dilemma of abundance: the person who grew the tomatoes is often there to answer questions and offer advice on selection. When asked which tomato is best, Bill Crepps of Everything Under the Sun responds with a question of his own: What are you going to do with it?
For slicing, he suggests the Marvel Stripe, a meaty tomato. For a strong-flavored sauce, Crepps advises, “You can’t beat an Early Girl.” That’s also his pick for gazpacho. The Early Girl, he says, gives the soup its classic, sharp tomato flavor.
Crepps acknowledges that customers often gravitate toward heirloom tomatoes, viewing these open-pollinated varieties as traditional and authentic. In response, seed companies have made more heirlooms available to farmers. But there simply isn’t a “best-tasting” tomato. As The Peach Farm’s George says, “You take 100 people, and they’re all going to like a different one. The tomatoes are all good in their own way.”
Varieties of Tomatoes at the market
- Ace tomatoes
- Amish Paste tomatoes
- Aunt Ginny's purples
- Beef master tomatoes
- Beefsteak tomatoes
- Big beef tomatoes
- Big rainbow tomatoes
- Black brandywine tomatoes
- Black cherry tomatoes
- Black F. Tula tomatoes
- Black plum tomatoes
- Brandywine tomatoes
- Brown berry cherry tomatoes
- Carolina gold tomatoes
- Caspian pink tomatoes
- Cherokee purple tomatoes
- Cherry tomatoes
- Corazon tomatoes
- Double rich tomatoes
- Dr. Wyche yellow tomatoes
- Early girl tomatoes
- Evergreen tomatoes
- Flame tomatoes
- Georgia streak tomatoes
- German Johnson tomatoes
- German pink tomatoes
- German stripe tomatoes
- Gold metal tomatoes
- Grape tomatoes
- Green sausage tomatoes
- Green tomatoes
- Green zebra tomatoes
- Heirloom tomatoes
- Hillbilly tomatoes
- Hot house tomatoes
- Indigo Rose tomatoes
- Isis cherry tomatoes
- Jolly Tomatoes
- Juliette tomatoes
- Koralik Truss Tomatoes
- Lemon boy tomatoes
- Marvel stripe tomatoes
- Mexico tomatoes
- Mortgage lifter tomatoes
- Mr. Stripey tomatoes
- Old German tomatoes
- Pink girl tomatoes
- Plum tomatoes
- Purple heirloom tomatoes
- Red brandywine tomatoes
- Red cherry tomatoes
- Red grape cherry tomatoes
- Red grape tomatoes
- Red tomatoes
- Roma tomatoes
- San Marzano tomatoes
- Shady lady tomatoes
- Speckled Roman tomatoes
- Sun gold cherry tomatoes
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Sungold cherry tomatoes
- Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes
- Sweet Chelsea tomatoes
- Vintage wine tomatoes
- Yellow pear tomatoes