Tomato Tasting 2012 “Silvery Fir Tree”

Tomato tasting number 3 on August 9, 2012.

Silvery Fir Tree, listed as a Russian Heirloom

Silvery Fir Tree, apparently named for the fine foliage (it looks like it came off of a carrot top) is one of my determinant tomatoes that seems content to live in a pot. Like all of my 2012 potted tomatoes, this one is stressed from the cold June and July. Unlike Ranger, Silvery Fir Tree is bouncing back.

Catalogue Description

Silvery Fir Tree (OP) 58 days. An exceptional heirloom that ripens early and produces heavy crops on incomparably beautiful plants. Fire engine red fruit average 2-3 inches across with a slightly flattened shape and a very pleasant, Tangy taste. The compact determinant plants have a delicate, ferny foliage and make elegant container specimens. Russian origins.

Silvery Fir Tree

Score Card

Eye Appeal

Size: At 1.6 ounces and about 2 inches across, this tiny tomato is bigger than the Ranger Plum I taste tested last week. That was a surprise.

The weigh-in

Shape: As advertised, Silvery Fir Tree has a “slightly flattened shape.

Color: Not quite “Fire engine red” but it is more red than orange. Once it looked ready I waited a couple of days for it to get a deeper red but it did not.

Inside: Mostly meat, very little gel which is somewhat disappointing. I wanted to save seed from this fruit for my first attempt at saving tomato seed. There might be a couple of seeds but I am just going to taste this tomato and wait for the next one to dig out seed.

Taste

The inside scoop

Texture: silky. Firm skin separates easily from the flesh in my mouth.

Fresh off the vine: (gel-flesh) Just the opposite of the cherry, Gold Nugget, this tomato is mostly flesh. Good mouth feel. It does not have the classic, “Grandma’s garden” flavor but it is far better than tomatoes I get from the grocery store. The more I eat Silvery Fir Tree, the more it bugs me that the skin comes off so easily when I bite into it. Not unpleasant or hard to swallow, just weird.

Sliced and salted: A bit of salt brings out the tart tomato taste. Nice

Cooking thoughts: If I get enough of these little gems they should make better soup than Ranger. Nice tomato flavor, very little gel and the skin comes off easily. I bet they are also good cold and chopped in pasta with basil.

Will Deb grow this one again?

Yes. I am sure it took longer than 58 days to produce fruit but I do have multiple fruit out in the Toy Box from this tomato. Apparently happy in a pot, it makes cute gifts. It would probably be happy in a container with basil. The plant did not seem too set back by our cold June and July, just late. Good taste with cooking possibilities, I may give this compact plant a row in my SFG next year.

Silvery Fir Tree, it still fits in a truffle paper