The Cherry Chocolate Sprinkle tomato earned top honors at Anawalt Lumber’s tomato-tasting event. But all tomatoes were winners.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, August 8, 2023 — Anawalt Lumber celebrated summer with a tomato tasting hosted by Steve List and Kellogg Garden Organics. The event was held on July 29th at its flagship store in West Los Angeles and featured over thirty varieties of tomatoes, including heirloom, cherry, plum, beefsteak, and grape. Attendees sampled all varieties and rated them.
At the end of the tasting, Anawalt tallied up the scores to declare the winners. Coming in third place was the Sakura tomato, a sweet cherry variety. In second place was Lemon Boy, a mild, tangy-sweet hybrid variety. And taking top honors was the Cherry Chocolate Sprinkle tomato, a unique combination of browns, greens, and reds with a slightly tart flavor.
Anawalt plans to carry seeds or starter plants for many of the showcased varieties in March 2024 for the next growing season.
ABOUT THE WINNING TOMATOES
The Cherry Chocolate Sprinkle tomato is a visually stunning heirloom variety remarkable for its small size, deep color, and robust flavor profile. It yields abundant fruit all season long, making it popular with home gardeners.
The Lemon Boy tomato has a bright yellow color and a sweet-sour flavor with subtle citrus undertones, hence the name “Lemon Boy.” Like the Cherry Chocolate Sprinkle tomato, it produces fruit throughout the growing season. Its distinctive character adds zest to salads, sandwiches, and salsas.
The Sakura tomato is an attractive cherry variety with sweet-tangy red fruits. It’s an excellent choice for home gardeners looking for high yields in a small space — the plant needs only eight square feet to grow. The name “Sakura” is inspired by the pink blossoms of the cherry tree in Japan, reflecting the tomato’s small size and delicate appearance.
ABOUT STEVE LIST
Steve List is an educator, expert gardener, and president of the Valley chapter of the California Association of Nurseries and Garden Centers. He has taught horticulture at Sylmar High School for over 20 years. In addition to providing students with hands-on experience in a garden setting, Steve conducts classes on sustainable gardening practices and organic pest control.
Steve and his Sylmar High horticulturists have found homes for an estimated 100,000 trees, plants, and seedlings and have ensured that many families benefit from freshly picked produce. (Sources: The Rotary Club of Woodland Hills, The Los Angeles Daily News)
ABOUT ANAWALT LUMBER & GARDEN CENTER
Founded in 1923, Anawalt is the oldest independent retail chain in Los Angeles, selling home improvement, construction, and garden center merchandise. Each store carries a slightly different inventory tailored to the community it serves.
Anawalt is known for its top-quality products, knowledgeable staff, and exceptional customer service. Stores in West Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Highland, Malibu, and Pacific Palisades are open Monday through Sunday. Please visit anawaltlumber.com or call (310) 478-0324 for store hours and product information.
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