Kitchen Garden Forum

helen2 wrote:Red brandywine are my absolute favourites. Huge - deep red throughout and exude a deep red juice.

Hi Helen, can you describe the flavour of the fresh Red Brandywines? How do they compare to others?

A couple of Mortgage Lifter picked today, the smaller one is just over a pound. We've enjoyed them but no other real beefsteaks to compare with.

These look excellent Geoff.

One side effect I find about beefsteaks is that they go a long way. I took two to work yesterday and could have fed two of my mates!

I've tried Speckled Roman this year, and although they are more of a plum shape, I have been suprised how big they have grown, the biggest I harvested the other day was as long as my hand and weighed over 1lb! I've picked all the ripe ones now, I'll take a photo when my current greenies ripen!

I've grown Beefsteak outside with limited success. This year I have Potiron Ecarlate, which have produced enoermous fruit. unfortunately, however, these have started to split at the top , so I now harvest them when they are just turning red and ripen them indoors. They have a lovely, full flavour and seem to freeze well, so that we can add them to the general pool when we make tomato sauces with our plum [Andine Cornue] toms.

mike

I've grown Spanish Globe available from the hdra seed library against the outside wall of the greenhouse and they are lovely, fleshy middles with a smooth flavour with a hint of sharpness.They have 4 or 5 to the truss and and first looked like they would have greenback but it disappears totally when ripe.I've also grown Big Boy inside the greenhouse and the fruit is good but not plentiful.