Tomato Chocolate Cherry

Days to Maturity: 70 from transplant

Indeterminate

Chocolate Cherry is so much more than a pretty face. These 1-inch beauties boast the most flavorful tomato tang in the family, from their delicious thin skins to their combinations of gels and solids, sweets and meats, in every bite.

Appearing in clusters of 8 all over this compact vining plant, these miniatures ripen delectably from green to lavender to richest mahogany. They have a fresh-grown flavor and texture no store-bought variety can equal, from their rich fragrance to that great bite as they are popped whole into your mouth or scattered on salads. Truly a gourmet variety, they keep coming all summer.

To make the most of this flavor, you may want to harvest these tomatoes a day or two before they are fully ripe and let them bake in the sunshine of a kitchen window. This prevents cracking and theft from birds, who also find them irresistible, and assures that each Chocolate Cherry reaches its peak of flavor. There’s nothing to compare in the cherry tomato family.

This plant reaches 5 to 6 feet high and about 3 feet wide, sometimes continuing to grow and set new fruit into autumn. It might just do for a large container, and should certainly be front and center in the vegetable garden. You must try this gourmet delight.