Have you tasted home grown tomatoes, as opposed to store-bought ones? There's a huge difference!

You might like cherry tomatoes as most of them are sweet.

Everyone raves about Sun Gold (a hybrid) which I am growing for the first time this year.

I love Sweet Million which doesn't seem to crack like Sweet 100.

Sugar Lump (or Gardener's Delight) is another.

Let's hope you change your mind about the tomato taste! Maybe a sprinkle of salt or some finely chopped Basil will help too :-)

Linda

Labradors is correct. Homegrown tomatoes are worlds away from store bought. I don't like highly acidic tomatoes myself. And I don't like a lot of the characteristics of tomatoes including the skin and seeds. But, there's so many awesome varieties out there that you can grow yourself, you can almost pick and choose what aspects of a tomato you want and leave the unwanted behind. All the while, you can still eat a delicious tomato.
I think some of the best tasting tomatoes for those who do not like true tomato flavor are Cherokee Purple, Black Krim, and Kellogg's Breakfast. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by these varieties, particularly at their sweetness and texture.

This post was edited by getyourleash on Wed, Jul 10, 13 at 10:26

I guess I would ask what it is about tomatoes you don't like... You mention taste, but what about the taste throws you off? Is it too tart, too mealy, too funky? It is a little odd that they smell good to you but don't taste good since smell is a big component of taste. Do you like them once they are cooked into sauce? Do you like ketchup? Soup? I have two friends who don't like tomatoes, one will not eat them in any form and the other loves them as sauce and can't stand them fresh.

I think there is a line between those who like tomatoes and those who bite into a whole tomato and eat it like an apple! I've never got into the latter.

However, there are few sandwiches or salads that are not greatly enhanced by the addition of a garden tomato. And, of course, the classic summer treat: A tomato sandwich with nothing more than a little mayo and onion.

I'm gettin' hungry.

I can sympathize. That is how I feel and think about strawberries. THEY LOOK NICE, SMELL NICE, but every time I eat them still don't like them.

Tomatoes, could be like that. But as suggested, your home growns might change your perception. Plus, try to slice them, w/tea spoon of lemon juice, tea spoon of olive oil, salt, pepper. This might taste tolerable to you. Rarely I bite unto big tomatoes but I eat cherry tomatoes off the vine often. I thing that's because they are sweet. Also you might develop a taste for them thou I, myself, never developed a liking for strawberries.

My brother doesnt like tomatoes either...but he likes stuff made from tomatoes such as salsa (even garden fresh salsa). I guess it is the merging of flavors that he likes rather than simply plain tomato taste.

I would suggest Sun Sugar as a cherry to try (nice, sweet, juicy cherry tomato).

Thanks for the responses. Actually, I can't remember the last time I tried a true home-grown tomato. I think I've been so averse to the taste that I've been avoiding them for years. But true, most of the ones I've had were probably store bought.

I have read good reviews of some of the ones mentioned. I'm not growing any of those this year, but I do have Brandywine which I've heard good things about.

I can't pinpoint what it is about the taste that I don't like. Though, I do like things made with/from tomatoes like ketchup, salsa, and tomato soup (a can of tomato soup mixed with a can of milk is probably my favorite soup).

Seysonn, that's funny about strawberries, because I love them! Any tomatoes that taste like strawberries :)

Rob, try some cherry or grape tomatoes -- pick some up at a Farmer's Market or farm stand this summer if you aren't growing any yourself; you might even be able to find a container with multiple varieties mixed together so you can sample different ones. (And if they are OP varieties -- ask the farmer -- you could also just save the seeds from any that you really like and save yourself from having to order them.)

If you want to ease into them, try dipping them in ranch dressing like you would with carrot sticks. I also second the suggestion of making salsa -- it's a good way to get used to the flavor of raw tomato while combining it with spices and other flavors you like, and of course, tortilla chips. :)

As for varieties, I'm growing Sungold (hybrid) for the first time this year and they are definitely sweet -- more like fruit than vegetable. My other favorite is an OP grape tomato labeled with the generic "Baby Roma"; I'm guessing "Cherry Roma" would be the named version, but I haven't sampled enough other grape varieties to know for sure. But I've really liked the grape tomatoes I've had -- they seem to be drier than cherries, which I personally prefer.

Kathy, I am growing Large Red Cherry. It's the only small sized tomato that I have. I hope to grow more cherry types next year. I'll definitely add a Sungold.

Once I taste some of the ones I'm growing, I'll report back. I suspect it will be a few weeks.

Don't like tomatoes? Don't eat tomatoes.

Nobody I know gives a crap whether you like them. All the tomatoes you have tasted taste yucky? Chances are you won't like the next 12 varieties you taste.

tdscpa - it sounds like the OP would LIKE to like tomatoes, just doesn't.

I am not a fan of grocery store tomatoes. I will eat them in things, but would never consider eating just a tomato with a little salt sprinkled on from the store. I will happily eat a bowl full of cherry tomatoes sliced in half and sprinkled with a little bali salt if they came out of my garden.

Wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, tdscpa? Did you read my post or just the title? As I stated, I haven't tried many tomatoes, and most of those were store bought. You seem to imply that all tomatoes taste the same, but I suspect most would disagree. I made a sincere inquiry here as I believed most posters to this forum would be much more familiar with various types of tomatoes and offer good suggestions. As I've said, I appreciate the suggestions that have been offered. If you didn't have anything positive to add, then why did you feel the need to post to this thread?

If I wanted to try a variety of tomato flavors I'd include a cherry, an heirloom beefsteak, one described as acid, one described as sweet and a black one described as having a smoky flavor.

I hate to repeat what others have said, but I'll do it anyway! Sungolds are the cat's meow. You must try them. If you can get your hands on a pint from the local farmer's market, do it! Cherokee purples are great as well, but I am a tomato lover so you may not agree.

The first bite of an Heirloom changed my life. But to sit down and eat a bowl of tomatoes like apples....not likely for me either. Although I will say that sweet tomatoes, like a Black Cherry are not hard to take and I can eat quite a few of them plain. All that being said, nothing like adding a little salt and vinegar, or whatever. Not to mention bacon, lettuce, bread and mayonaise, and they are super delicious. I'll also add that the obsession to grow them IS actually more fun sometimes than eating them. "The heat of the hunt."

Now, if I could grow chocolate covered donuts....:-)

tdscpa - wow

Rob - I'm the exact same way! I want to like them (because they are so healthy), but they just don't taste good fresh. I enjoy tomato based foods though, like spaghetti sauce, salsa, etc. I've never tried homegrown, so I'm counting on that making a difference.

I'm growing Black Krim, Black Plum, Black Sea Man, Black from Tula, Cherokee Purple, Opalka, Italian Paste, Mortgage Lifter, Neves Azorean Red, Brandywine Suddiths, Blondkopfchen, and Super Sweet 100. And I've already started my list for next year too.

I used to have a very ho-hum attitude about tomatoes. Grew a few hybrid tomatoes in the past, and didn't understand what all the fuss was about. Then I read that Brandywine was consistently rated in the top 10 for best taste. I planted one and waited. And waited. And waited. Finally 2 tomatoes ripened. I thought what can I do with just 2 large tomatoes. I decided to stuff them. So I cut one crosswise and began scooping out the pulp. I couldn't just throw the pulp away, so I ate it. What a revelation! It was amazing. In that instant, I became a home grown tomato zealot. I plant Brandywine in my garden every year, but they are one of the less forgiving tomatoes if you live in a hot climate like I do.

So what happened? Did you like any? You really should try some more unusual ones like oranges (Kelloggs Breakfast, KBX, Orange Minsk). Try some very sweet, some not sweet with strong "tomato" flavor, and let us know! You can always throw them all in a pot and make some great sauce. :)

Ditto Sue in CT! Inquiring minds want to know! ;)

I have a friend that despises fresh tomatoes. He won't eat a burger even after he has removed the tomato and scraped it, he gags from the thought!

I have tried to get him to taste my home grown tomatoes and he won't touch them.

But he loves cooked tomato sauces, ketchup, ETC.

tdscpa - Does someone need a hug?

Glad I decided to check the Tomato forum!
So, most of the twelve varieties I planted last year did produce fruit. There were a couple that didn't do well, and my chickens got to the earliest, low hanging fruit on some others (I finally put a fence around them). I didn't try the tomatoes a lot of different ways. I put salt on some, but still couldn't get them down. Others I just tasted plain. The one I kinda sorta thought was OK was the Brandywine. It seemed to have a milder flavor. It tasted almost like a canned tomato, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I gave away most of them to friends and coworkers.

I'm going to keep trying, as I'd really like to develop a taste for them. I'm trying 18 new varieties this year. Included is the regular Brandywine from last year and Sudduth's that I've added this year. Even if I never find one I really like, I'm going to keep growing them. I'll at least keep my coworkers happy!

@ OP: You mentioned that you LOVE strawberries. How do they taste to you ? To me they taste more acid w/very little sweetness. If this is the case with you then you should look for acidic tomatoes with slight sweetness, sometimes called tangy.

Another thing is that we don't eat every vegetable and fruits as it comes from the bush ; we prepare them a certain way. Most people will add SALT, PEPPER, VINEGAR and OIL to raw tomatoes and then eat them: That is also called SALAD !

I recommend a good sweet, small tomato like lldi for someone who doesn't like tomatoes. It even looks more like a fruit than a tomato..

I heard you mention you give most of the fruits of your labor away. I wouldnt be so quick on handing it over, save some of it and try to get accustomed to the taste. Very very healthy stuff your giving away, do yourself a favor, embrace your health. Keep growing, nothing is healthier than your own fresh produce.