Tomato
The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a widely consumed vegetable in the Solanaceae family, which includes other crops like potatoes, peppers, and eggplants. Native to Central and South America, tomatoes were first utilized by the Aztecs around 700 C.E. and were brought to Europe by Spanish conquistadors in the early sixteenth century. Initially, tomatoes were viewed with suspicion due to their resemblance to the poisonous nightshade plant, leading to their classification as unfit for consumption in both Europe and America. This perception persisted until it was discovered that many of those who fell ill after eating tomatoes did so due to lead poisoning from pewter plates rather than the tomatoes themselves.
Once deemed safe, tomatoes gained popularity and became staples in various culinary traditions, appearing in dishes ranging from sauces to salads. There are numerous varieties, including cherry, grape, and beefsteak tomatoes. Interestingly, while botanically a fruit, tomatoes are classified as vegetables in culinary contexts, a distinction solidified by a US Supreme Court ruling in 1893. Today, tomatoes are not only a beloved ingredient but also the state vegetable of New Jersey and hold dual status as both the state fruit and vegetable of Arkansas.
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Tomato
A tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a vegetable that is part of the Solanaceae family (also called nightshade). This group also includes crops such as potatoes, peppers, and eggplants as well as flowering plants such as petunias and tobacco. Tomatoes originated from parts of Central and South America and eventually were transported to Europe and then to the United States. According to the US Department of Agriculture, twenty-two pounds of tomatoes per person per year are consumed in the United States. However, in colonial times, many people did not eat tomatoes, as they feared they were poisonous.
Overview
The tomato, first known as the tomatl, was thought to be first eaten by the Aztecs around 700 C.E. The Spanish conquistadors brought tomatoes back to Europe in the early sixteenth century. Some sources credit Hernán Cortés with transporting tomato seeds to Europe around 1519, although tomatoes were not grown in Europe as food during this time. They were used as ornamental décor.
Tomatoes made it to the New World in a roundabout way during colonial times. They were not brought from their native lands of Central and South America through Mexico and to the colonies. The European settlers brought them to America most likely around the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. Herbalist William Salmon first referenced tomatoes grown in the Carolinas in his 1719 book Botanologia.
However, in both America and Europe, tomatoes were seen as unfit for consumption. They were thought to be poisonous. This was because the tomato closely resembled the poisonous nightshade and came to be classified as part of the Solanaceae family. (Many vegetables from this family were considered poisonous or hallucinogenic.) In Europe, the tomato was known as the "poison apple" because many aristocrats were sickened and died after eating them. It was later revealed that they died from using pewter plates high in lead content, not from eating tomatoes.
Once the vegetable was deemed safe to eat, its popularity caught on in Europe and America, making the tomato one of the most favored homegrown vegetables. It is used in numerous recipes from sauces to ketchup, salsa, salads, sandwiches, and more. In addition, many different hybrids and varieties exist such as cherry, grape, roma, and beefsteak.
The tomato is technically a fruit, but it is classified as a vegetable. It is the state vegetable of New Jersey, and both the state fruit and vegetable of Arkansas. However, the fruit versus vegetable debate waged for many years, until the US Supreme Court in 1893 made an official ruling about the tomato. John Nix, a tomato importer, challenged US tariff laws imposed on vegetables at the time. He claimed that tomatoes should be exempt since they were technically fruits. The Supreme Court disagreed and ruled that tomatoes were vegetables; however, even into the twenty-first century, the debate has continued.
Bibliography
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"Guide to Different Types of Tomatoes (And How to Use Them)" Planet Natural, 2023, www.planetnatural.com/tomato-gardening-guru/selecting-plants/. Accessed 18 Jan. 2023.
"History of Tomatoes." Planet Natural, www.planetnatural.com/tomato-gardening-guru/history. Accessed 4 Oct. 2016.
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Smith, Ron, et al. "From Garden to Table: All in the Family! Potatoes, Tomatoes, Peppers and Eggplant." North Dakota State University, Mar. 2012, www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/plantsci/hortcrop/h1326.pdf. Accessed 4 Oct. 2016.
Sterbenz, Christina. "The Supreme Court Says the Tomato Is a Vegetable—Not a Fruit." Business Insider, 30 Dec. 2013, www.businessinsider.com/supreme-court-tomato-is-vegetable-2013-12. Accessed 4 Oct. 2016.