First the good news....these are the tomatoes are really tasting just fine. In the small fruited/cherry tomato category, it is no surprise that Mexico Midget is really tasty, and Sungold (the hybrid) is just about unbeatable. I've actually enjoyed the few Green Grapes I've had (it's never been a favorite in the past, so maybe the weather is being kind to it!). Green Doctors also tastes very good - much better than my first experience with it - and it also is not quite the same, having yellow skin this year (clear skin a few years ago). I don't think it is 100% stable yet. I've not grown Tiger Tom in some years, so it is nice to be able to experience it's lively tartness again. Green Zebra Cherry, though larger than a cherry tomato (and closer to Green Zebra itself - another that clearly isn't fully stable) is just fine in the flavor department.
For the larger tomatoes, Cherokee Green is just delicious. Hege's German Pink is pretty good but not quite as full flavored as I remember it being a few years ago. Polish is wonderful - nearly Brandywine-like - and Selwin Yellow surprised me in being so full flavored atypical for most yellow/red bicolors. I also really liked Burgundy Traveler, Arkansas Traveler, Druzba and Great White - pretty close to excellent, all.
The Dwarf varieties are really starting to come in, and early highlights are Dwarf Pink Passion, Dwarf Beryl Beauty, Fred's Tie Dye, Boronia, Sweet Scarlet Dwarf, Striped Tidy, Adelaide Festival, Tasmanian Pink and Loxton Lad.
As for surprises - Cherokee Chocolate saved in 1998 is clearly crossed - the tomatoes are tasty but small, round and red (my suspicion is a Cherokee Chocolate X Eva Purple Ball cross). Tennessee Britches may be crosses or mixed up, but I want to wait for one more to ripen to be sure. And Sungold Select II is turning out to be a red, rather than gold, cherry tomato. I've also noticed that the sweet pepper Super Shepherd is the correct shape, but wrong color (pale yellow green rather than dark green) - clearly another cross. A few eggplant don't look quite right but I need to see a full sized fruit before I reach conclusions.
So, the tomato recipes are now on full force - last night Ratatouille, tonight Tomato Bisque. What a fun time of year this is!