Check out the pics in this discussion on best tomato sandwiches. They are Cherokee Purples.

Brandywine Sudduth also gets mentioned frequently and this sandwich discussion lists several other varieties too.

My personal favorite is Arkansas Traveler. Not huge so takes several slices but that makes it even better. ;)

Dave

Cherokee Green

I may be in the minority, but I really don't care for so much of the pulp or meat. Seems like a tomato sandwich just has to run down your arm a bit. Too, and I may be wrong, but it seems like the tomatoes with more of the seed area are more acidic and sweet. Again, I could be wrong, because that IS a beautiful specimen! For me, I like a nice round fruit about four or five inches, a deep beautiful red, no cracking. Too, the heirloom varieties that I have grown seemed to be more prone to verticillium, nematodes, blossom end rot and whatever causes them to yellow and die early in the heat and dryness of a hot Georgia summer. Last year, when we finally did get rain the fruit cracked. Used to love the older varieties of the early sixties, but today I like fewer hassles with disease, etc.. Tried beefsteaks to please the in-laws, but they were far too pulpy, far too mild a flavor, and really too big for my prime use..the PERFECT sandwich.

You want an awesome tomato for slicing?

Just grow Beefsteak. Plain. Simple. Unadulterated. It's what your parents grew. Likely you can get transplants in the Spring at any hardware or whip out fifteen cents and get a pack of their seeds at the dollar store.

Some BEAUTIFUL pictures here. I agree thoroughly on the sourdough, especially when real "imported" San Francisco style. Can see the confusion I caused with not too runny. By that I was trying to say that some are almost all comprised of the seed sections. The running down your arm is an old southern saying ..in that just the right balance of flesh and seed section still gives plenty of rich juiceiness and deep, rich, acidic tomato flavor. I just had a tomato sandwich made of a gorgeous specimen that looked perfect, but was really lacking in that OLD flavor..i.e., the perfect balance of sweet and acidic tang. Think it was a better boy, but it could have been due to the record rainfall during the last few weeks of a late harvest. Here, it can hit 100 in the hot season, so I try to time my planting to ripen before or after. Too, our very heavy clay soil, nematodes, verticillium, blossom end rot, etc. can often cause the loss of a whole crop if the varieties are not carefully chosen...exactly why a hesitancy, based on past failures, with the heirlooms.

Since you specified twice that it's a round variety you want that leaves me out in terms of suggesting some of my faveorite varieties.

You'll also note that quite a few mentioned above are not round fruited varieties.

Round, crack free , sweet but with some acid balance is a tall order as I see it, since any variety can have splits in any given season.

I guess I'll end up suggesting the three Harris hybrids:

Jet Star
Supersonic
Moreton Hybrid

and Ramapo F1

And for an OP Break O Day, an earlier commercial variety.

Good luck finding your perfect variety b/c I've grown several thousand tomato varieties and am still looking for that "perfect" variety although I think I'm pretty close when it comes to taste alone that appeals to me, but then there's always next year. ( smile)

Carolyn

I'm reminded of the bottles of calvados in France where the apple is grown inside the bottle. Wonder if anyone ever tried growing a tomato inside a square frame? With a large tomato that would fit the sandwich perfectly! Oh well, still many a great suggestion here.

The first year we grew cherokee purple I gave some to a neighbor. She made a sandwich for her husband, he took one bite, stopped, pulled the tom. out devoured it, then asked her 'where did she get that tomato', that was the best tomato he had ever tasted. Hope they do good in 2010!

mensplace - you also need to keep in mind that "variety" is only part of the issue and perhaps a small part at that. Growing conditions is the primary factor. Weather, planting times, soil tillth, nutrient levels, consistent soil moisture levels, pests, etc.

You say you tried beefsteaks but were disappointed in them. Then I'd suggest the problem lies with the garden rather than the variety. No variety is going to taste the same from 15 different gardens but most all those "garden" factors can be controlled in part or even eliminated.

For example, Georgia doesn't have a lock on 100 degree days. Lots of us live with that problem but providing some shade helps, Georgia clay is notorious but can be amended to drastically improve drainage and nutrient availability or switch to raised beds or containers, mounding or trenching the garden to improve drainage and allow for earlier planting also helps, picking at blush eliminate cracking, nematodes can be killed, etc.

Elbow grease and a bit of thinking outside the bag goes along way toward making just about any variety great tasting. ;)

Dave

The reason that I don't care for Beefsteak is that I really just don't care for the varieties that have so much of the flesh as opposed to seed cavities. Too, most that I had were not of the more tart and acidic variety I prefer. Beefsteaks are truly large and plentiful in terms of the size of the fruit, but the flavor is too mild for my own taste. But, you made some excellent points. One year I planted lots of tomatoes in huge hole with sphagnum, limestone and tons of manure...the most beautiful plants ever...with very few fruits. Now, especially with the cost of fertilizer having skyrocketed here, I am trying to rely upon good compost. I wish I knew how to naturally eliminate the bad nematodes and diseases without negatively impacting the beneficial soil life. One question is how big should the hole be and what natural blend should I create ...for fruit and flavor. I'm not so concerned with size. I have heard an old school approach of planting the tomatoes shall, but on their side. Too, I have not been suckering the plants. Now, I use heavy, tall t-bars like in fencing for staking and then tie up the plants, but have heard other swear by planting three or four plants inside of heavy rolled sections of the kind of wire used for reinforcing concrete. I want to start now to give any changes to the soil and growing conditions time to "meld" into the soil. Again, not trying to grow giant tomatoes, just want to maximize the flavor. Could soil amendments impact that? While not totally organic, I do want to minimize poisons in the soil or on the plants. For myself, the old time rutgers flovor was intense, but here they were prone to dying half way though the season after turning yellow and the blossom end rot a huge pain. Too, when pulling roots up they were loaded with bumpy nodules, so it does seem that I need something like the improved VFNT varieties and will be working on a water collection and distribution system...maybe with hyponex for tomatoes...or should I stick with the purely natural organic mixes that cost hugely for blood meal, bone meal, etc.. Having grown horses, cattle, English Sheep and Boer Goats, I am leery of any kind of straight manure due to antibiotics in most foods today, parasites, bateria, etc.. Those are my thoughts, but do want to select varieties to start for seed in January that take all of thae above into consideration. Is that TMI?

For a very good round red tomato, try Sioux. Seeds are available from Tomato Growers Supply (and other places). It may be slightly smaller than you specified, but, if it is, it's not by much.

TMI? No, but it does indicate some possible problems with the growing techniques rather than the tomato variety itself.

EX:: Seed cavity vs. pulp ratio and acidic vs. bland flavor are just as much a result of the moisture levels in the growing conditions as of variety. Consistent soil moisture levels is the key to success. For the most part it can be achieved with good draining soil, the use of heavy organic mulches, and controlled water delivery systems (drip or soaker).

One year I planted lots of tomatoes in huge hole with sphagnum, limestone and tons of manure...the most beautiful plants ever...with very few fruits.

Define "lots" and "tons". Tons of manure if fresh and not composted or at least aged 90-120 days could easily be too nitrogen rich. Excess nitrogen gives you beautiful plants but little or no fruit - common. Peat is acidic and sheds water, lime makes it too alkaline for good results unless your soil is naturally acidic. Doil test solves that problem.

Normal is 1 plant per hole just as it is one plant per CRW cage (not several).

just want to maximize the flavor. Could soil amendments impact that?

Easily, insofar as they affect the plants ability to use the available nutrients and moisture. It is the form of the amendments rather than the nutrient levels themselves that is important. ie: amending with quality compost will have a greater effect on maximizing varietal flavor than will mixing in a bunch of liquid fertilizer.

old time rutgers flovor was intense, but here they were prone to dying half way though the season after turning yellow and the blossom end rot a huge pain.

Again, it is growing conditions. Yes, if you plant the determinate variety of Rutgers they will die off mid-season although they often come back in the fall - it's the nature of the type. The indeterminate variety of Rutgers doesn't have that problem. Yellowing can be due to anything from too much water to one of the diseases but it isn't because they are Rutgers. BER is a soil moisture problem primarily and not varietal. Rutgers isn't noted as being prone to BER.

So I'm back to changing your growing techniques first and then experimenting with some of the varieties listed here to see which works best in your garden.

I note on the Vegetable forum that you swear by the french intensive method of gardening. While that approach is great for some vegetables, it isn't usually considered beneficial for tomato plants. Pruning suckers isn't really relevant - some do, most don't - but tomato plants, especially indeterminate varieties, need space (2-3 feet is commonly recommended), no direct competition, and more important than anything IMO - consistent, moderate on the drier side, soil moisture levels. Lots of good reading here on successful tomato growing. And if interest since I've read you like gardening books then consider carolyn137's book "100 Heirloom Tomatoes For The American Garden".

Just some...

Dave I like the taste of Traveler and some of the others but I need 1 slice to cover the bread AT, and many of the others just don't meet that for me - Mule team is a consistant 3" (round not beefsteak) but does have a more sweet flavor and really juicy (mensplace should like it and his white bread will be pink before he finishes) Black Krim is juicy and a little sweet(to me)- I do like Cherokee Green (and purple) and Charlie's Green, Aunt Rubys and evergreen and yes Neves Azorean Red beefsteak has bold flavor and covers a slice nicely - MojaveBob - where are you in the desert? I am in OC - are you working on your fall crop?

• "MojaveBob - where are you in the desert? I am in OC - are you working on your fall crop?"

China Lake, Ridgecrest. I tried raising summer seedlings for a fall crop, but the heat was too much for them. One of a couple dozen made it this far, and it has about ten fruit close, the first one blushed today. I suppose there is a way to do it, but it's probably a waste for me to figure out, because maintaining the most healthy plants from the spring and summer looks like a better, easier approach. Of 60+ that started the season a dozen remain and they are close to producing a decent fall crop (somewhere between 80 and 100 maters). They may not make it. Thursday could be the first frost. In fact, the reality is coming clear. I expect about 25 of them to ripen, the rest... whatever. If the two pictured above prompted the question, they have been few and far between for several weeks. About one a week since late August.

Also, Dave, what a great reply above. You're going to make a farmer out of me yet. ;)

mojaveBob - maybe you can help them make it with some "frost cover" walls-o-water wouls cost too much

"frost covers" grow guard 27f reemay 30f frost blanket 24-26 from $13.95-21.95 for 6x20 and $20.95-34.95
so do you work at the china lake naval depot or are you in the prison HA HA - mtbigfish@earthlink.net Dennis

territorial seed sells these and other places do also

I know you said you don't like beefsteaks, but the best tomato sandwich I've ever had was made with a pink brandywine. It had a creamy consistency, were very meaty (lots of tomato, not much watery goop) and a little sweet. They didn't fare well for me late in the season though. It was a little too rainy and wet, but they easily out produced everything else while the weather cooperated.

It was mentioned here earlier but Ramapo (I received F6 seeds) was one of the more pleasant surprises in my garden this year. The one I measured was a tad over 16 oz. and the rest looked just as big. Very tasty/meaty and one slice definitely covered a slice of bread.

You could try Box Car Willie. Or how about New Yorker, Rugers, Marion or Marglobe?

Hi All I second carollyn137 except the order she gave.

Moreton Hybrid
Supersonic
Jetstar (least acidic) Thems my choices in order

larry

trudi d don't you just love box car willie - perfect shape and color -- great taste and produces like a hybrid

Cherokee Purple Tomatoes are by far some of the greatest tomato seeds I have ever grown and tasted. They have a sweet taste that would go perfect on any sandwich.

mater sandwich video link

Here is a link that might be useful: Nice Red Tomato

mtbig,

I do love it, it's the OP that got me growing so many more varieties.

geeboss - my sound is out - did they say what name of the tomato variety was?

I think this would make a great meter sandwich or at least a fun one

Here is a link that might be useful: Mickey Mouse shaped tomato

Bacon flavored

There are tons of good tomatoes for sandwiches. Most of them are NOT round. Given a choice, Crnkovic Yugoslavian and Stump of the World would be very high on my list. Box Car Willie is a bit closer to your description of a nearly round tomato with juicy good flavor but not quite as good flavored imo as Crnkovic.

DarJones

Mensplace - if you want a juicy seedy tomato with lots of flavorful gel, I would suggest Turkey Chomp.

Mensplace, if you have healthy plants you should get decent fruit. You may want to get a soil test just to see if anything is way off. I usually put 1 cup of epson salt (mag. sulfate) and 2 cups crushed oyster shells (calcium carbonate) tilled into the 16-20" wide, 12-16" deep hole of very good soil. I like cherokee purple and suddiths for sandwiches.

my daughter came up with a new tomato BLT - take your favorite tomato you use for fried green tomatoes - fry it and use it on a BLT -WOW WOW WOW - what a sandwich -

If you can add a hamburger to that sandwich and allow a beefsteak, a big juicy slice of Kellogg's Breakfast added to the party makes it something you will never get anywhere else but home. My absolute favorite!!

MtBig...Tomato Schnitzel. Yum.

You'd probably like celebrity. They are pretty firm but they still have some gel to them. They are mid-acidic and flavorful if you let them ripen. Don't use them pinkish on your sandwich, let them turn red. They have a full battery of disease resistance and are pretty good in most part of the country. They have a good yield and not too large of a plant. They will produce a decent sized tomato with not too much care and trouble.

I grew the Henderson's Crimson Cushion last year and thought they made an excellent tomato sandwich!
Just my two cents.

Huge flavorful deep red - single slice covering that sandwich with a taste that puts all other sandwich components in the background? Juicy & did I say, the reddest red of anything in the garden with fantastic production through heat & humidity? Visitors were drawn to these plants loaded with the deepest, reddest tomatoes that needed two hands to hold securely - lottsa fusion! Andrew Rahart's Jumbo Red - grow a couple - you will be soooooo happy. Close contenders - Germaid Red, Neves Azorean Red. Smaller you say? Knock your socks off good is Clint Eastwood's Rowdy red - the best red mid-sized slicer I have EVER grown - productive through it all. A taste that has friends begging for more & family snitching them (gggrrrrr). Sioux, Arkansas Traveller both really good but not in the same league as above. Also, for a big bright red-orange slicer canner that just makes a sandwich sooo fine - Chesapeake - it's a great canner too - no lacking acidity with this heat & humidity loving plant; just has great balance between sweet & acid, not quite softball sized for me..

BLACK CHERRY -start slicing

mtbigfigh asked "my sound is out - did they say what name of the tomato variety was?"

The "blurb" at the upper right of the video said "Our 2 largest Brandywine tomatoes"

Bets

Trudi, I googled MtBig and got some strange results. Where do you find this tomato?