Pruden’s Purple Tomato

Pruden’s Purple is my favorite beefsteak heirloom tomato.

Personally, I think it tastes better than the much-admired Brandywine (I have grown both).  In fact, I met William Woys Weaver,  when he was a guest on WHYY’s Radio Times and we got into an arguement about whether Brandywine (Will) or Pruden’s Purple (me) was the better tasting tomato.  Marty told us to “Take it off the air,” we did and we’ve been collegues ever since.

Pruden’s Purple is actually a deep pink, has fruit that weighs around a pound and is a “potato-leafed.”  The Web reports that it’s earlier than many other beefsteaks, somewhat diesease-resistant for a beefsteak and bears fruit in cooler temperatures when other tomatoes have petered out.

But most of us grow it because it tastes wonderful!  We’ll have Pruden’s Purple from now until frost, available for purchase.