David's Tomato

Why I grow it

This one is personal. David's Tomato is named for my dad, who selected it specifically because he thought it made the best gazpacho. We kept the seed and I've continued growing it, so what began as Dad choosing the tomato he wanted for one particular dish has become one of our own garden varieties.

It's also a genuinely good tomato to grow — a strong, reliable beefsteak that has shown good disease resistance in my garden, producing firm, medium-sized fruit rather than enormous beefsteaks.

At a glance

Type: Beefsteak
Growth: Indeterminate
Fruit: Medium-sized, red and firm-fleshed
Position: Full sun
Support: Sturdy support required
Selected for: Gazpacho

In the kitchen

This tomato exists in our garden because of gazpacho. Its firm, fleshy fruit gives the finished soup substance without being watery, and Dad specifically selected it for the job.

Our gazpacho recipe developed over years spent in Tamariu, on the Catalan coast, hanging out on the waterfront and watching our friends cook at Es Dofí and the other little bars along the beach. Like most recipes that have been made repeatedly rather than written for a cookbook, the final quantities are always adjusted by tasting.

David's Gazpacho

Serves 4 — or 2 if you're greedy like us.

• 1 kg David's Tomatoes, or other very ripe tomatoes
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1 green pepper
• ¾ Lebanese cucumber, peeled
• 2 medium sweet yellow Spanish onions
• 3 tablespoons Spanish sherry vinegar
• 4 generous tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ½–1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Salt and black pepper

Put everything into the whiz-banger and blend until smooth.

Taste. Adjust the seasoning and, importantly, the sherry vinegar — tomatoes vary in sweetness and acidity, so you may want a little more or less.

Chill thoroughly and serve cold, topped with sourdough croutons if desired.

In the garden

David's is a strong-growing beefsteak that has proved particularly reliable in my garden, including showing good resistance to the tomato diseases I've encountered here. It produces firm, medium-sized fruit rather than enormous beefsteaks, with a productive growth habit that has kept it earning its place season after season.

Care

Grow in full sun in fertile, well-drained soil. Water consistently as the fruit develops and feed during flowering and fruiting. Give the plant sturdy support and tie in new growth as needed. Good airflow around tomato plants is always worthwhile.

What you'll receive

One healthy, established tomato seedling grown here at A Garden Between. Plants naturally vary in size and shape and may be supplied in reused nursery pots or growing bags — perfectly useful plastic doesn't need replacing simply because it doesn't match.