A couple of years ago I went to a farmers market looking for
tomatoes. I chatted with a vendor who said tomatoes were his hobby
and he had been growing them for 50 years. I told him I didn't want
one advertised as sweet or low acid but preferred a tangy one with
real tomato taste. He recommended Early Pick, which was delicious.
The next summer I went back, but he was gone - apparently finally
retired. I asked another tomato vendor what variety he was selling,
and he said, "Whatever was ripe this morning." Needless to say, I hurried away.
Varieties do matter, and growers would benefit if they asked what
people like before recommending what was "good."