Video: 'Mochi' : The Gumdrop-like Cherry Tomato | Exclusively from Johnny's

R&D Tomato Manager Pete Zuck & Trialing Tech Daniel Yoder introduce this deliciously different cherry tomato.

Hey there, I'm Pete Zuck from Johnny Selected Seeds, and I'm here with Dan Yoder, our Tomato Technician. And we're here to talk about a new tomato today, a really interesting new cherry called 'Mochi'.

What's unique about 'Mochi' is that it has a very soft, squishy texture. And, for a commercial grower this might sound a little scary. But the skin on it is actually very elastic, and so it really doesn't split.

But what's really amazing about it is the texture and the eating quality. It's sweet; it's got a lot of umami flavor; so it tastes like a tomato, but unlike a typical cherry tomato where there's thick skin and then a lot of gel inside and you bite into it and it bursts, 'Mochi' is like a gumdrop.Your teeth just kind of sink right through it. And it's such a unique eating experience for a tomato; it's something that was too unique for us to ignore.

So, it also has this beautiful shiny skin with a luster on it that looks kind of like it was polished. And it really stands out. They look like little beefsteak tomatoes.

So, being that 'Mochi' is a very different variety from a lot of tomatoes you've probably grown before, there are some things you should know, some tips and tricks to get the most out of it.

So Daniel is going to help out with that.

So 'Mochi' is definitely a variety that we would recommend for the high tunnel. It's got a very compact internode, so you can get more trusses in the tunnel before you hit the top of the support system. It has very branched trusses, too, so you're going to get a very good yield potential in the high tunnel, and return for your space.

The fruit, as Pete mentioned, is very unique. It's got the soft texture that can be susceptible to damage from handling or from insects and disease, so you do want to pick them as soon as they're ready — but the flavor will develop as the color deepens on them. They won't get to a very deep red; they'll be sort of a shiny, pinkish red when they're ready.

They will be soft, even when they're not fully ripe, so you can pick them at any time. They will have more flavor as they improve their color. For being a softer tomato, I'm very surprised at how well it holds up post harvest. 'Mochi' has a very good shelf life, as Pete mentioned; with the elastic skin it is very crack-tolerant.

We were interested to look at 'Mochi' in the field, as well. And with its dense canopy and short internodes, it was very trainable and actually performed quite well.

It would be a nice addition to your home garden.

So we're really excited to introduce this unique cherry, and we hope you give it a try!