🌱 Origin & Story
Indigo Cherry Drops came out of the tomato breeding program at Oregon State University, led by Dr. Jim Myers — one of the foremost tomato geneticists working today.
The project started with Indigo Rose, the first tomato variety ever bred specifically for high anthocyanin content in the fruit. Anthocyanins are the same powerful antioxidant pigments found in blueberries and blackberries — compounds that had never been expressed at meaningful levels in a ripe tomato until Myers made it happen.
To get there, he crossed cultivated tomatoes with wild species from Chile, the Galapagos Islands, and Peru. Those wild relatives carried the genes for anthocyanin production in fruit tissue. Through years of careful crossing and selection, the team moved those genes into a domesticated background that actually tastes good and yields well.
Indigo Cherry Drops built on that foundation — taking the anthocyanin genetics of Indigo Rose and packaging them into a cherry-sized fruit with better flavor, higher sugar content, and staggering productivity. Under ideal conditions, a single plant can produce up to 1,000 fruits in a season.
This isn't a novelty. It's the leading edge of nutritional tomato breeding.
🍴 Flavor & Fruit
Small cherry, roughly 1 inch — the shoulders turn deep purple-black where sunlight hits, while the bottom ripens to a rich reddish-pink. The contrast is stunning. You know they're ripe when the dark shoulders develop a slight give and the bottom color deepens.
Flavor is sweet and well-balanced with a fruity complexity you don't usually get from a cherry. Not as candy-sweet as Sungold, but more interesting — there's depth there. The anthocyanin-rich skin adds a subtle tang.
They come in heavy clusters. Expect to be picking handfuls every couple of days at peak season.
🍽️ In the Kitchen
Fresh: Straight off the vine, still warm from the sun. These are the ones that disappear before they make it inside.
Salads: Halved and tossed with fresh mozzarella, basil, and good olive oil — the purple-black and pink color is gorgeous on the plate.
Roasted: Toss whole clusters with olive oil and salt at 400°F until they blister. The sweetness concentrates and the color deepens into something almost jewel-toned.
Preserved: They dehydrate beautifully — intense, chewy, sweet. Like candy you grew yourself.
