It first appeared in print in 1595. A member of the deadly nightshade family, tomatoes were erroneously thought to be poisonous (although the leaves are poisonous) by Europeans who were suspicious of their bright, shiny fruit. Native versions were small, like cherry tomatoes, and most likely yellow rather than red.
18th century Europe mistrusted the tomato
That's because, according to Smithsonian, tomatoes belong to the nightshade family of plants, some of which are deadly — and Europeans weren't keen to eat any nightshades, even though it's only the leaves and stalks of the plant, and not the fruit, that are poisonous.
The mistaken idea that tomatoes were poisonous probably arose because the plant belongs to the Nightshade family, of which some species are truly poisonous. The strong, unpleasant odor of the leaves and stems also contributed to the idea that the fruits were unfit for food.
1521. Europeans first came into contact with the domesticated tomato in Mesoamerica where it was an integral part of the Nahua diet and culture. The Spanish conquistadores introduced the tomato to Europe after the capture of the city of Tenochtitlan by Hernán Cortés in 1521.
The tomato, it turns out, has always been political. Brought to Europe by the Spanish when they colonized the Americas – it's an Aztec plant, as we can tell by its original name, “tomatl” – by the mid-1500s, it had made its way to Italy.
It first appeared in print in 1595. A member of the deadly nightshade family, tomatoes were erroneously thought to be poisonous (although the leaves are poisonous) by Europeans who were suspicious of their bright, shiny fruit.
Before tomatoes, the Italian diet was largely similar to the diet throughout the rest of the Mediterranean. Bread, pasta, olives, and beans were all staples, and Italians also made a variety of different types of polenta.
The fruit became popular in part because of its ability to flavor food, no small matter at a time when spices were expensive and hard to find. By the 18th century, Italians had begun experimenting with tomato conservation methods.
The tomato is a native of the lower Andes, cultivated by the Aztecs in Mexico. The Aztec word 'tomatl' meant simply "plump fruit" and the Spanish conquerors called it "tomate".
It is not indigenous to Italy, or Europe for that matter. The tomato was first “discovered” by the Spanish Conquistadors while exploring and then conquering the Americas.
Tomatoes come from the New World, and tomatoes were not brought to the Old World until after Christopher Columbus had established contact. During the time of the Romans contact with the New World had not yet been established, and tomatoes unavailable to the Romans and other peoples of the Old World.
As the story is told, it was Colonel Johnson who on September 26, 1820 once and for all proved tomatoes non-poisonous and safe for consumption.
In 16th-century Europe, tomatoes were often grown but not eaten.
Because raw tomatoes aren't fermented, dried, or cooked—the three processes that typically draw out that specific flavor profile—the fact that they taste like that might weird certain people out, even if they don't understand why.
These ill-fated aristocrats ate tomatoes off pewter plates and often got sick and died after ingesting the red fruit. But the cause of death was actually due to the high lead content of their pewter plates. The acidic tomato leached lead from the plate, which, when consumed, caused lead poisoning.
OAS reactions to tomatoes are caused by an allergy to grass pollen that cross-reacts with tomatoes. Both contain proteins known as profilins. While not identical, the profilins are close enough to potentially trigger an allergic response.
The tomato was eaten by the Aztecs as early as 700 AD and called the “tomatl,” (its name in Nahuatl), and wasn't grown in Britain until the 1590s.
The Spanish first introduced tomatoes to Europe, where they became used in Spanish food. In France, Italy and northern Europe, the tomato was initially grown as an ornamental plant. It was regarded with suspicion as a food because botanists recognized it as a nightshade, a relative of the poisonous belladonna.
While dogs can eat tomatoes, sharing too much with them can upset their stomach because of the acidity. Tomatoes are like any other treat—they should be consumed in moderation under supervision. Start with small amounts of tomato to see how your dog reacts.
The top ranked country, China, accounted for 28.4 % of tomato consumption in the world.
According to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, China is the world's largest producer and consumer of tomatoes.
Refrigerating kills the flavor, the nutrients and the texture of Italy's most beloved ingredient.
Food for the wealthy
Aristocratic estates provided the wealthy with freshly killed meat and river fish, as well as fresh fruit and vegetables. Cooked dishes were heavily flavoured with valuable spices such as caraway, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger and pepper.
Barley, oats, and rye were eaten by the poor while wheat was generally more expensive. These were consumed as bread, porridge, gruel, and pasta by people of all classes. Cheese, fruits, and vegetables were important supplements for the lower orders while meat was more expensive and generally more prestigious.