Solanum lycopersicum.

The aristocrat of heirloom tomatoes, the ultimate benchmark against which all other heirloom tomatoes are measured, and probably the variety most loved by knowledgeable gardeners in North America. Brandywine's exact origin remains a matter of historical debate, but most sources link it to the Amish communities of Chester County, Pennsylvania, in the 19th century. Its first documented commercial mention dates to 1889 in a Johnson & Stokes catalogue.

Like so many remarkable heirloom varieties, it nearly disappeared in the mid-20th century under pressure from modern industrial hybrids. It was saved thanks to Ben Quisenberry, an Ohio farmer who maintained the variety in his garden for decades. He notably received seeds from a woman named Doris Sudduth Hill of Tennessee, which is why the name Brandywine Sudduth's Strain appears on the most highly regarded line. Quisenberry passed the seeds to the Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa, in the 1980s, helping trigger the great modern revival of heirloom tomatoes in North America. Today, Brandywine is grown by tens of thousands of gardeners and appears at heirloom tomato festivals across the continent.

A majestic indeterminate plant reaching 1.5 to 2.5 metres tall that requires firm staking. An intriguing botanical feature is its so-called "potato-leaf" foliage: the leaflets are broader, rounder, and less deeply cut than those of standard "tomato-leaf" tomatoes. This trait is recessive and useful for identifying true Brandywine plants in a mixed planting. The enormous fruit, shaped like a flattened apple or a large beefsteak, weighs 250 g to 1 kg each at full maturity and has uniform, deep pink-red skin.

The flesh is meaty and almost creamy, with just enough seeds and a characteristic pink-red colour. And the flavour? This is precisely where the Brandywine legend begins: an extraordinary balance of sweetness and acidity, with a rounded mouthfeel, a complex, almost floral aroma, and a long finish unlike that of any supermarket tomato. This is the tomato to serve simply sliced with a little fleur de sel and olive oil, or in a three-ingredient caprese (mozzarella di bufala, Genovese basil, and Brandywine). Any more elaborate preparation would be an insult to what this variety can offer.

Grower's tip: Brandywine demands both heat and time. In Québec, start it indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the last frost at 22–25 °C under good light. Transplant only after all risk of frost has passed (late May to early June, depending on the region). Give it the warmest, sunniest location in the garden. Like all indeterminate tomatoes, it needs regular suckering to concentrate energy on the fruit, but do not be too severe: Brandywine produces fewer fruit than other tomatoes, and every one counts (5 to 15 fruit per plant, but what magnificent fruit). Very sturdy staking is essential because mature fruit can easily weigh 500 g to 1 kg each. The season is long (80 to 90 days after transplanting), making Brandywine a challenge at our latitude. Farther north in Québec, gardeners may struggle to ripen all the fruit before the first frosts. In those regions, start even earlier indoors (10 to 12 weeks), or choose a shorter-season variety such as Roma.

Storage: at full maturity, Brandywine keeps for only 4 to 7 days at room temperature. It is a tomato to eat fresh, not a storage tomato.

• Open-pollinated. Amish heirloom variety dating from before 1889. Recessive potato-leaf variety. Largely self-pollinating, but it can cross with other nearby tomatoes; crossing is uncommon in practice. An excellent candidate for seed saving.
• Height: 1.5 to 2.5 m. Sturdy staking is essential.
• Maturity: 80 to 90 days after transplanting.
• Exposure: full sun and warmth.
• Very rich, deep, well-drained, warm soil. Space plants 75 to 90 cm apart. Mulching is recommended.
• Start indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the last frost. Transplant once all risk of frost has passed (late May to early June in Québec). This variety requires a long, warm season.