I guess I will just see what I think once I get tomatoes.

I don't really plant heirlooms much but yesterday when I saw that Hillbilly plant it was a total impulse buy. Plus I bought a Brandywine. I never do well with Brandywine but I guess I am trying again.

I think of Tatania's TomatoBase (and Carolyn Male) as THE tomato experts. I'm lucky to get Stupice to ripen and stay tasty for more than a few weeks before they catch a chill and lose their sweetness.

I'm super-glad that Tatania finally made her tomato variety list accessible from URLs without the ":88" in them. There may be a way to get into the ":88" URLs by changing security settings, but I never found it (at least, not from work, where I do 99% of my Web access).

http://t.tatianastomatobase.co...

Oh Carolyn Male has soo very much knowledge and always willing to help and answer questions. I am totally impressed with this wonderful lady. That said I lone ago realized that her taste in tomatoes and mine are completely different.

So besides that Hillbily and the Brandywine I also have Belgian Giant which I believe is an heirloom. Then I also have one called Grandma's Pick that I bought from Territorial Seeds. I thought it was an heirloom but just now see that its really not one. And then there is Cuore Di Bue which will be my first ever oxhart that I am growing.

abhege said:Oh Rita, you're missing out if you don't try some of the green tomatoes. Such flavor. I've done Green Zebra but I prefer Aunt Ruby's German Green. And yellows, Tree's Bottom is a great yellow.

I am trying lots of different colors this year. I have yellows and I have Blues and I have blacks. But no greens. Don't want green ripe tomatoes. How in the world do you know when a green when ripe is ripe anyway?

When the green tomatoes ripen they get a lighter, translucent color.

I've grown Belgium Giant. It's a nice tomato. I want to try Hillbilly next year.

Hillbilly looks a little dry in the picture. Guess you could say meaty instead of juicy. Is it?

Not usually. It's a juicy beefsteak. Heavy producer.

Great additions to this thread that will be tonight's homework assignment. I think I've grown both varieties of Hillbilly, but which was the later producer? Different sources instead of saved/purchased seed. Going through all my pictures might answer that but probably not. I'll go to my primary source for this years specimen(s). Hort guy with his own nursery, I'll prod when I visit. He sells a few Germans. Mr. Stripey through various sources hasn't been very successful in my gardens. Rainbow is another but more success than MS. Neat to have info filled links to pour through. I could have assumed similar origin but knowing they're German in origin adds interest. My bulbs from Holland aren't entirely Dutch. Tomatoes and peppers though? I enjoy the history with the flavor. In reference to the dry Hillbilly? Mine have all been on the soupy side. Not mush, they're fine slicers with the favored knife. Perfect BLT in my world requires washing both hands and face upon completion. Many 'maters work but it's a really good one.

Tee, never tried the Green Zebra fried. Only fried greens I've had were usually hybrids picked to thin or late season monsters that we didn't "paper bag ripen". It's a medium-small fruit that ripens fairly well on the counter if plucked too early. And again, decent shelf/counter life. I will get some for my late planting, I have to as it is a favorite and I have a few sources. Might not be as tasty or lend itself in quantity, then again, I just don't know? I don't sell fruit from the garden but I do get calls for that one. I think beyond flavor kids like it for it's petite size and the flavor. I've been "all grown up" for a long time. Flavor won me, the color is just cool. I bet it would work perfect in old time fruit salad with nuts, green skinned apples aren't as green.

Grow it, you'll love it.

I like tomatoes in fruit salads as well.

The fried green tomatoes around here are usually the unripened ones of several varieties that are fried. A favorite is this one (both green and ripe):
http://www.rareseeds.com/spear...

This is from Wikipedia and sums it up well:
Traditional preparation of fried green tomatoes begins by cutting the tomatoes into approximately 1/4-inch (~1 cm) slices. They are then seasoned with salt and pepper, coated with plain, coarse cornmeal, and shallow fried in bacon fat for a few minutes each side, or until golden brown. Shallow frying is preferred, as the tomatoes do not float in the oil, which allows the weight of the tomato to press the cornmeal to the underside of the tomato. This negates the need for a 'wash' (see below).

Alternatives include using breadcrumbs or flour instead of cornmeal, and frying in vegetable oil or other fat.

A 'wash' may be used; in this case, the sliced tomatoes are first dipped in a liquid before the cornmeal is added. This liquid is usually buttermilk, or occasionally beaten egg. Using beaten egg results in a slightly firmer texture than using buttermilk. 'Washes' are used because cornmeal does not readily stick to raw green tomatoes. Adding the liquid helps the cornmeal stay in place during the cooking process. This also results in the coating on the tomato becoming thicker and less crunchy when compared with tomatoes cooked without a 'wash'.

Wes, you really seem to know your tomatoes!

Me I grow mostly hybrids but usually try some heirlooms but different ones each year. Have yet to find an heirloom to add to my must grow list.

My first tomato of the year.

Yummy!

Where's my knife?

You're too late!!! Already disappeared with my salad.

Very excited, am attempting some heirloom varieties in a separate bed away from the main raised tomato bed where I have hybrids growing. And unlike last year the heirlooms are healthy and thriving and full of flowers. Even tho I rotate tomatoes on a three year cycle in my raised lasagna beds, last year the two heirlooms I attempted were sickly looking with a wilt disease, probably verticulum.
Someone somewhere mentioned that heirlooms do not fare well in the intensive close plantings that we often use in raised beds. Also last summer we had a an unusually rainy summer. This year is more normal rain and heirlooms have room to breathe. Now I can have the plenty of hybrids and novelty of heirlooms. Just no yard because it will all be turned into vegetable production.

Evidentially, two of my heirloom tomato variety pack are zebra. Wasn't even checking them for ripeness until the ones on the bottom rotted. Picked two others that felt ripe, one was good, the other blah. Nice to be able to pick tomatoes, though.

I'm just now finding y'all! Didn't get any heirlooms planted this year, but do have German Johnsons
growing on. In the past I have grown by winter sowing the following heirlooms:

Black from Tula (loved it)
Cherokee Purple
Prudens Purple
Rose
Brandywine

Won't waste time again on Brandywine or the Prudens Purple and the CPs didn't fare well either, but maybe it was a bad year
for them. Loved, loved, loved the Black from Tula and the Rose. Saved seeds from both.

Next year I hope to have more to post, but in the meantime I'll be monitoring this thread and commenting
from time to time. Hope all our tomatoes thrive!