Imagine a world where the most dangerous thing about your dinner wasn’t the cholesterol, but the literal poison lurking within its vibrant skin. Welcome to the peculiar history of the tomato – a fruit once feared and reviled, now a staple in kitchens worldwide.
The Tomato’s Trepidatious Travels
The story begins in South America, the tomato’s ancestral homeland. Long before becoming the star of Italian sauces, the tomato was cultivated by the Aztecs, who called it ‘xitomatl’. When Spanish conquistadors encountered this strange fruit in the 16th century, they brought it back to Europe, initiating a journey marked by suspicion and culinary hesitance.
A Deadly Reputation
Why the fear? The primary reason stems from the tomato’s family: Solanaceae, or the nightshade family. This family includes notoriously poisonous plants like belladonna (deadly nightshade) and mandrake. Europeans, familiar with the deadly reputation of nightshades, naturally viewed the tomato with considerable suspicion. The fact that the leaves of the tomato plant are indeed toxic only added fuel to the fire.
Furthermore, wealthy Europeans often ate off pewter plates, which contained high levels of lead. Tomatoes, being highly acidic, would leach lead from the plates, leading to lead poisoning. Of course, the tomato got the blame, not the dishware! This unfortunate association solidified the tomato’s image as a killer.
From Ornamental to Edible
For centuries, tomatoes were primarily grown as ornamental plants. People admired their bright colors and unusual shapes but dared not eat them. It wasn’t until the 18th and 19th centuries that the tomato slowly began its ascent to culinary stardom, primarily in Southern Europe, where poorer peasants used wooden plates and didn’t suffer from lead poisoning.
Italy, Spain, and France gradually embraced the tomato, incorporating it into local cuisines. As cultivation techniques improved and varieties were developed, the tomato became more palatable and less likely to cause ill effects (real or imagined). Word of the tomato’s deliciousness gradually spread northward.
The American Hesitation
Even in America, the tomato faced skepticism. One famous anecdote involves Colonel Robert Gibbon Johnson, who, in 1820, publicly ate a basketful of tomatoes on the steps of the Salem, New Jersey courthouse to prove they weren’t poisonous. While accounts of a cheering crowd are likely exaggerated, the story highlights the prevailing fear and the lengths to which some went to dispel it.
Fun Facts and Tomato Trivia
- Tomatoes are botanically classified as fruits, not vegetables, because they develop from the flower of the tomato plant and contain seeds.
- The world’s heaviest tomato weighed over 10 pounds!
- The color of a tomato can indicate its nutritional content. Red tomatoes are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant linked to several health benefits.
- Heirloom tomatoes are varieties that have been passed down through generations, prized for their unique flavors and characteristics.
A Culinary Revolution
Today, the tomato is one of the most widely cultivated and consumed fruits (or vegetables, depending on who you ask) in the world. From ketchup and pizza sauce to salads and salsas, the tomato’s versatility has cemented its place in global cuisine. The journey from feared fruit to culinary icon is a testament to the power of overcoming prejudice and embracing the unexpected.
Takeaway
The tomato’s story reminds us that appearances can be deceiving, and sometimes, the things we fear the most can become our greatest delights. So, the next time you bite into a juicy tomato, remember its fascinating history and appreciate the long, strange journey it took to reach your plate.