Totally Tomato Show 4 & 5 September 2010

Commercial growers faced stiff competition in the Tastiest Tomato Competition held recently at West Dean Gardens!

The commercial growers took the top places in two of the three categories judged, together with the prize for the overall winner. Held during West Dean’s famous Totally Tomato Show and organised by the British Tomato Growers’ Association, the competition was open to everyone, amateur and professional, young and old.

This is the fourth year the competition has been held. Stung by criticism that you can’t buy good tasting tomatoes, the professional growers decided to put their reputations on the line and threw down the gauntlet in a taste challenge. In the first year, honours were pretty even between gentleman and players, gardeners and growers, but with the title going to a Hampshire gardener with an entry of cherry tomato Sungold. This made the professionals even more determined and they piled on the pressure in the next two years, making the most of their facilities and skills to sweep the board in every fruit category.

This year the competition was again split into three sizes of fruit – cherry and baby plum types, cocktail and classic sized fruit, and beefsteaks. In the tomato world, size definitely isn’t everything and cherry and baby plum tomatoes were again found to be the pick of the crop by the panel of four independent judges. Winner of this category was Andy Liggatt of Flavourfresh Salads, Southport who also carried off the Len Summerton Cup for the overall show winner. The cup was named in memory of Len, who had a life-long passion for growing tomatoes at his home in Southampton. Andy picked up an almost perfect score of 88 points out of the potential 90 on offer, for his cherry tomato Piccolini.

Winner of the classic and cocktail category was Chris Wall of Eric Wall Ltd of Barnham, Sussex, with Amoroso. Commercial growers almost made a clean sweep of the competition again but in the beefsteak section, another Sussex grower, Gary Griffiths was nudged into second place by a single point by amateur grower Graham Read of Bosham with his variety Greek.

“Naturally we are delighted with the results but we also have great fun with this competition," said Julie Woolley of the TGA. "When we attend shows we are constantly told by the public that tomatoes don’t taste like they used to but we actually think ours have never tasted better and they are available if you look for the British label. The problem is that four out of five tomatoes now sold in this country are imported, a message that consumers really need to take on board if they want to continue to enjoy the best of British food."

Cherry & Baby Plum category:
1. Piccolini, Andy Liggatt, Flavourfresh Salads
2. Melrow, Andy Roe, Flavourfresh Salads
3. Piccolo, Alan Pearson, A Pearson & Sons

Classic & Cocktail category:
1. Amoroso, Chris Wall, Eric Wall Ltd
2. Campari, Brian Moralee, Wight Salads Ltd
3. Kentaro, Kieran Devine, Wight Salads Ltd

Beef category:
1. Greek, Mr G Read, Amateur grower
2. Pink Beef, Gary Griffiths, Nutbourne Nursery
3. Jack Hawkins, Ross Hammond, Wight Salads Ltd

The Heaviest Tomato competition was won by David Stevens from West Chiltington with a fruit weighing 0.925kg.

For more information, further results and photographs of the event, please contact the British Tomato Growers’ Association on 01243 554859 or email tga@britishtomatoes.co.uk.

Gift Aid

West Dean Gardens is part of The Edward James Foundation, a registered educational charity. Consequently, if you are a UK taxpayer, and you are willing to pay 10% on top of the normal admission charge, the Foundation is able to treat the whole payment as a charitable donation and reclaim 25p in every £1 from the Government. This will further benefit the work of the Gardens and the Foundation. Click on the following link for more info on West Dean's Gift Aid.

As a thank you for your donation we will provide you with vouchers to spend in the Visitor Centre Shop or Restaurant which, if you were planning to use either of these, will actually reduce the cost of your visit. Click on the following link to download a Gift Aid Declaration Form to complete before your visit.

Registered Charity No: 1126084