Black Pepper (aka Kubinskiy Pertsevidnyi Chornyi, Kubinskiy Chornyi Peretz) is a late-season, indeterminate heirloom with wispy (regular but very finely divided) leafed vines — reaching 7–10 ft in height and width. From mid-to-late summer onward it produces an enormous quantity of medium-sized (3–6 oz), elongated pepper-shaped to blunt-heart fruits that ripen to a muddy brick-brown with pronounced dark green/black shoulders. The shoulders stay green-black even when fully ripe and do not penetrate into the flesh. Inside, the tomatoes are nearly coreless, have very few seeds, and offer an exceptionally deep, robust, almost smoky flavor with earthy richness and just a touch of sweetness —  one of the very best sauce and cooking tomatoes. Perfect for canning, roasting, or thick paste. Maturity 80–90+ days from transplant.
 
HISTORY: Black Pepper is of Cuban origin but became popular in the Soviet Union, where it received the Russian names Kubinskiy Pertsevidnyi Chornyi (“Cuban Pepper-Shaped Black") and Kubinskiy Chornyi Peretz (Cuban Black Pepper). Soviet military families and agricultural exchanges brought the seeds back from Cuba during the long Cold-War alliance (especially 1960s–1990s), and it was further selected and maintained in Russian and Eastern-European gardens.
 
In the West it remained virtually unknown until the 2010s. The specific line that won widespread acclaim (including the unofficial 2017 taste-test victory) came through the late Bill Malin (SpudLeafWillie), who received seeds from Iva Graska of Slovenia. After Bill’s passing in August 2017, I (Karen Golden, Michigan Heirlooms) inherited his seed stock. Since re-introducing Black Pepper it has become a cult favorite among sauce-tomato enthusiasts, who are in the know.
 
Sold as a single plant in a 3.5" pot.