Noir de Crimee Tomato: Hanna’s Tomato Tastings 2008
Part of Hanna’s Tomato Tastings 2008
Yet one more black for me to try. This one was sent to me to try, so I did not really choose it but as I am a black tomato fan, I am looking forward to it. One should never look gift black tomatoes in the mouth, or roots, or leaves or…
Anyway, let’s see how gift tomatoes taste.
The description from the company I got it from reads:
Heirloom from Russia. Sweet black taste in a medium sized, brownish, maroon/ purple fruit. This is one that has gotten recent attention in tomato circles. Indeterminate 80 days.
The Beauty Pageant:
Size: About the size of a baseball.
Shape: Mostly round.
Color: Burgundy with green shoulders. One thing I noticed is that this is a really shiny tomato.
The inside: Small core and thin walls. The gel is super tight, almost like a stuffer tomato.
Texture: Due to the thin walls and small core, there is not much meat to have, but what is there is pretty smooth.
Tasting:
Off the Vine Tasting: The gel carries the taste of this tomato. The gel it great. Nice tangy and smoky flavor, like you would expect from a black tomato. Unfortunately, the meat is pretty bland. Even more unfortunately there is not much gel in each tomato. The result is an initial burst of flavor which fades quickly to mush then returns on the aftertaste. Odd sort of roller coaster flavor.
Sliced and Salted Tasting: Salt helps draw out the flavor of the gel so that it is there the whole time instead of fading. The salt does dull the flavor a bit but not too much.
Cooking Thoughts: This is a tough one. No good for sauce unless you keep the seeds. No good for slicing for a side dish or sandwich. You really could just use them in salads.
Growing Notes:
This one is just not producing ripe tomatoes, which is a little late in the season. But other than that, it is a healthy plant with plenty of tomatoes.
Will Hanna grow this one again:
No. The gel is great, but I need a whole tasty tomato.
Hanna,
There is NO BETTER READING than this tomato review. I am thrilled to have this record of yours. Thanks so much.
Hi Hannah
I love your tomato tasting posts great stuff. I just had to comment on the Noir De Crimée though because I am surprised
you found the flesh bland on a Noir De Crimée. I wonder if it is the strain you have tried. My original seeds came from Vilmorin and I’ve been growing this tomato for the last 5 years. It is still the best tasting black tomato I’ve found. The fruit are meaty, juicy and full of smoky, spicy flavours. I’d be happy to send you seeds if you do want to try it again.
Cooking it makes a fantastic soup. Roughly chop the tomatoes and stew until pulpy. Push through a ieve add salt and pepper and that is it you have a lovely tomato soup nothing else is need the flavour is so good.
I follow these reviews avidly. I’d love it if you would post a list of the tomatoes you will always grow.
Thanks,
Ali in Maine
I love it! Just found your blog and had to drop you a note. I’ve started growing a wide variety of tomatoes this year and still experimenting with the best ones. I grew some “Black Krim” tomatoes this year, which I believe might be the same as these ones. I thought they were ok, but glad to find out there are other black ones to try. I’ve been doing a regular spot on black veggies/fruit/plants on my site, so you’ve given me fuel for next year!
That was my question too, Hanna – is Black Krim just the translation or are they two different tomatoes?
We only got a handful of Black Krims in early summer before the heat and drought slammed the garden, but we really liked the taste.
Your annual tomato reviews are so much fun – thank you!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose