Tomato Taste 2017 Results: 'Sun Gold' Trounced in Amazing Upset by 'Black Cherry'

Tomato tasting photo by Maeve Dunigan.

We had almost 300 people come to last Saturday's Washington Gardener Magazine 10th Annual Tomato Taste at the FreshFarm Silver Spring Market last Saturday. Here are the results of the more than 200 ballots submitted.

1. Black Cherry from The Farm at Our House 
2. Red Grape from Spiral Path Farm 
3. Cherokee Purple from Mock's Greenhouse
4. Green Zebra from Three Springs Fruit Farm
5. Amish Paste from The Farm at Our House 
6. Sun Gold from Chicano Sol
7. Black Vernissage from The Farm at Our House

Only 3 votes separated our top two winners. Last year  'Sun Gold' and 'Green Zebra' were the crowd favorites, but this year the more full-flavored red varieties won out. If we had taken out the cherry varieties, 'Cherokee Purple' would have easily one. It always performs well in our annual contest.

Do take a minute to click on the photo link here to view the Facebook album of photos from the event. I think you will agree that the market tomatoes are absolutely gorgeous and very photogenic.

In addition to the tasting, many people stopped by to create colorful tomato art and to pick up the free tomato seeds, growing tips, and recipes that we gave out.

Prize drawning winner photo by Uyen Nguyen.

Bri Adams of Silver Spring, MD, (pictured here with her baby) won the prize drawing of a tote bag full of gardening tools, tomatoes, and $25 worth of market tokens! 

Most of the taste attendees were local, though we also had many who came quite a distance. About half live in Silver Spring. Another third live close by in Washington, DC or the neighboring towns of Takoma Park, Chevy Chase, and Hyattsville. From farther away in Maryland, folks came from Rockville, Ellicott City, College Park, Beltsville, Olney, Riverdale, Potomac, and Baltimore. From across the river in Virginia, attendees came from Alexandria and Richmond. From out of the area, we even had a few votes from Miami, FL, and Boston, MA!

Thank you to all who came and participated. Thanks to the farmers for growing great tomatoes and to FreshFarm Markets staff for hosting us. Special thanks also to Mary-Denise Smith and our incoming Fall interns -- Marve, Nicole, and Uyen -- for helping with all the tomato sample cutting and helping greet all the tasters in the short two-hour event. See you next August!