Wapsipinicon Peach Cherry Tomatoes
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Wapsipinicon Peach tomatoes, like other peach-type tomato varieties, have soft fuzz that covers their skin. The creamy yellow fruit is about two inches in size with superb taste and texture, and is allegedly the sweetest of all peach tomato varieties. The fruity flavor is complex, with both spicy and sweet well-balanced components. The indeterminate, regular-leaf tree is extremely productive, yielding thousands of the small, round, delicate fruit on its long vines continuously over the course of the season.
Seasons/Availability
Wapsipinicon Peach tomatoes are available in the summer months.
Current Facts
The Wapsipinicon Peach tomato was named after the Wapsipinicon River in Iowa, and is sometimes also known as Garden Peach, Yellow Peach or White Peach. It is an heirloom variety, which, by definition, means that it is open-pollinated, so the seeds grow true to the parent plant. All heirloom varieties are open-pollinated though not all open-pollinated varieties are heirlooms.The Wapsipinicon Peach tomato is sometimes specifically classified as a family heirloom, or a variety whose seeds have been saved and passed down from generation to generation. Tomatoes are botanically classified as Lycopersicon esculentum, although after years of horticulturists' preference for that scientific name there are those now promoting a return to the tomato’s original classification, Solanum lycopersicum, because of strong molecular DNA evidence in its favor.
Nutritional Value
Tomatoes are an excellent source of fiber, carbohydrate, potassium, iron, and vitamins A and C. They are also known for having high levels of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that may help maintain a healthy heart and reduce your chances of developing prostate, colorectal, and stomach cancer.
Applications
Wapsipinicon Peach tomatoes have such a great natural flavor that they are fit for eating right off the vine. Their depth of sweetness is best eaten fresh, so they are not often used for preserves. They work beautifully in salads, or they can simply be drizzled with a bit of olive oil and sprinkled with chopped basil. They are also a nice complement to the dark, rich, slightly salty black krim heirloom tomato. Store tomatoes at room temperature until fully ripe, after which refrigeration can slow the process of decay.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
The Wapsipinicon Peach tomato is considered an American heirloom and was first offered in the Seed Saver’s Exchange Yearbook by Jeff Nekola of Green Bay, Wisconsin in 1996. It was the winner of the Seed Saver’s Exchange heirloom taste test in 2006, and has won numerous other contests thanks to its fruity yet spicy, complex tomato flavor.
Geography/History
The Wapsipinicon Peach tomato originated in 1890 by Elbert S. Carman under the name White Peach, however this strain comes from Dennis Schlicht and is named after a river in northeast Iowa. Tomatoes need warm weather to grow well, and because the Wapsipinicon Peach tomato is thought of as a tender cultivar, it is very important to plant it well after the danger of frost has passed. Wapsipinicon Peach tomatoes have been said to grow well in the Western and Midwestern regions of the United States.
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