×
  • Home
  • Daily
    • Composting
    • Container Gardening
    • Easy Healthy Recipes
    • Food Preservation
    • Garden Design
    • Garden Tools
    • Growing Fruits & Berries
    • Indoor Gardening
    • Pests & Diseases
    • Seeds & Seedlings
    • Soil & Fertilizer
    • Spice & Herb Gardening
    • Vegetable Gardening
    • Watering & Irrigation
  • Freebies
  • Videos
  • Magazines
    • Food Gardening Magazine
    • RecipeLion Magazine
  • Guides
  • Cookbooks
    • Beverages
    • Bakery
    • Breakfast
    • Appetizers
    • Salads & Dressings
    • Soups
    • Entrées
    • Side Dishes & Sauces
    • Desserts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Affiliate Program
  • Sponsor Program
  • Give a Gift
  • Privacy Policy & Terms of Use
  • Manage Account
  • Authors
  • Keyword Index
  • Join

Food Gardening Network

Growing Good Food at Home

Join
Mequoda Publishing Network
  • Daily
    • Composting
    • Container Gardening
    • Easy Healthy Recipes
    • Food Preservation
    • Garden Design
    • Garden Tools
    • Growing Fruits & Berries
    • Indoor Gardening
    • Pests & Diseases
    • Seeds & Seedlings
    • Soil & Fertilizer
    • Spice & Herb Gardening
    • Vegetable Gardening
    • Watering & Irrigation
  • Freebies
  • Videos
  • Magazines
    • Food Gardening Magazine
    • RecipeLion Magazine
  • Guides
  • Cookbooks
    • Beverages
    • Bakery
    • Breakfast
    • Appetizers
    • Salads & Dressings
    • Soups
    • Entrées
    • Side Dishes & Sauces
    • Desserts
  • Sign In
  • Search

Introduction to Tomatoes

Cookbook: Desserts

Introduction to Tomatoes

Get a brief introduction to our Tomato Collection, where you’ll learn some history about tomatoes and get a helpful overview about growing your own tomatoes.

By Bill Dugan, Editor and Publisher

Homegrown Tomatoes on the Vine

Homegrown Tomatoes on the Vine

Have you ever tried eating a whole, raw tomato like you would eat an apple? If you have, it’s best that you eat your own home-grown tomatoes and not those washed-out-looking, store-bought tomatoes. A fresh garden tomato—and not only the pop-‘em-in-your-mouth-size Cherry tomatoes—are simply succulent and delicious to eat, perhaps with a shake or two of salt as you munch.

As with the age-old debate about how to pronounce the word tomato—“You like to-MAY-to, and I like to-MAH-to” as the Gershwin song goes—some people debate whether tomatoes are vegetables or fruits.

Botanically speaking, tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) are fruits—berries actually. But, for cooking purposes, tomatoes are usually treated as vegetables. Tomatoes have much less sugar than typical fruits, which is another reason why some people view them as vegetables.

As if the debate about whether tomatoes are fruits or vegetables could ever be fully resolved by food scientists and chefs, the United States Supreme Court actually weighed in on the matter in 1893 to resolve a legal dispute about trade and tariffs. In Nix v. Hedden, the Court ruled that tomatoes are a vegetable because they are mainly served with dinner and not as a dessert, making tomatoes subject to tariffs on vegetables that didn’t apply to fruits at the time.

While there are, literally, thousands of varieties of tomatoes, this collection features six popular varieties that will give you some diversity in your harvest to help feed your kitchen with different tomatoes for different recipes. All tomatoes fall into these scientific hierarchy classifications:

  • Kingdom: Plantae (plants)
  • Order: Solanales (flowering plants)
  • Family: Solanaceae (potato family)
  • Genus: Solanum (nightshade)
  • Species: Solanum lycopersicum (garden tomato)
  • Variety: cerasiforme (garden tomato)

A Brief History of Tomatoes

Did you know that the tomato species started in Central and western South America? The Aztec word tomatl is the origin of what the Spanish dubbed tomate, and what we now call tomato! After conquering the Aztec Empire, Spaniards brought tomato seeds back to Spain, and, beginning in the 16th century, tomato growing spread throughout Europe.

At first, many Europeans used tomatoes only for decorative purposes, because tomatoes were thought to be poisonous to eat—some even called tomatoes the “poison apple.” Wealthy Europeans actually feared tomatoes for their presumed lethal qualities. In fact, it wasn’t the tomatoes that were poisonous, but the fancy pewter plates and platters upon which they were sometimes served, which would leach lead when the acidic tomatoes rested on the pewter.

In Europe, it took a few hundred years for the tomato’s fortunes to turn. In the 1880s, pizza was invented in Italy and became a popular dish topped with tomatoes or tomato sauce. In the United States, while the stigma of tomatoes wasn’t as widespread as in Europe, the Civil War boosted the tomato’s reputation because Union troops could efficiently be fed canned tomatoes. Consumption boomed, and production eventually rivaled potatoes as a major crop.

Today, the tomato is a revered plant in the United States. Reynoldsburg, Ohio claims to be the birthplace of the commercial tomato and holds an annual Tomato Festival, complete with a Tomato Festival Queen.

Have you ever visited the Tomato Festival in Reynoldsburg, Ohio? Please tell us about the unique ways you celebrate tomatoes!

Tags

potatoes, tomatoes

Comments

Click here to cancel reply.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  • Cranberry Bars
  • Cranberry Cloud
  • Fresh Fruit Maple Ambrosia Salad
  • Easy Watermelon Sorbet
  • Strawberry Lavender Sorbet
  • Lavender Crispy Rice Treats
  • Fruit Tart with Date Crust
  • Fruity Rainbow Pie
  • Goodie Bag Jell-O Candies
  • Lemon Pies for One
  • Graham Cracker Lemon Bars
  • Peanut Butter S’mores
  • Breakaway S’mores
  • 5-Minute S’mores
  • No-Bake Strawberry Cake
  • Double Strawberry Dessert Cups
  • Glass Jar Strawberry Shortcake
  • Chocolate Pudding with Avocados
  • No-Fry Fried Ice Cream
  • All-Day Tropical Fruit Salad
  • Apple Butter Peach Cobbler
  • Mason Jar Apple Pie
  • Soda Pop Apple Dumplings
  • Cinnamon Baked Apples
  • Dark Chocolate Ginger Hearts
  • Orange You Glad It’s Spring Dessert
  • No-Bake Chocolate Pie with Strawberries
  • Slow Cooker Pineapple Upside Down Cake
  • Fresh Fruit Pizza with Cornflake-Pecan Crust
  • 4-Ingredient No-Churn Ice Cream
  • Caramel Fudge Ice Cream Sandwich Casserole
  • Fresh Strawberry Icebox Cake
  • The Zest Lemon Shortcake Icebox Cake
  • Berry Delicious Frozen Fruit Cups
  • Sweet Grilled Pineapple
  • Summer’s Best Fruit Dips
  • Southern Pecan Pie
  • Rhubarb Fool
  • Classic Rhubarb Pie
  • Rhubarb Comfort Crumble
  • 2-Ingredient Raspberry Sorbet
  • 20-Minute Chocolate Candy Cookie Casserole
  • 25 Minute Peanut Brittle
  • 3-Ingredient Homemade Fudge
  • 5-Minute Grape Sorbet
  • Addie’s Tiramisu
  • Rainbow Popsicles
  • Almond Brittle
  • Ambrosia Salad
  • Banana Split
  • Basil Ice Cream
  • Better-Than-Anything Scotcharoos
  • Blueberry Crunch Cake
  • Blueberry Pie Fudge
  • Bourbon Pecan Pie Bars
  • Brownie Cheesecake
  • Butterscotch Haystacks
  • Candied Ginger
  • Candied Kumquats
  • Candied Meyer Lemons
  • Candied Orange Peel
  • Caramel Apple Pecan Bread Pudding
  • Caramel Apples
  • Caramel Crunch Cracker Bars
  • Chamomile Rice Pudding with Tea-Infused Golden Raisins
  • Champagne Mousse
  • Cheesecake Jell-O Candies
  • Cherry Fluff
  • Choco Bacon Espresso Bark
  • Choco-latte No-Bake Cookies
  • Chocoholic S’mores Mug Cake
  • Chocolate Cream Pie
  • Chocolate Eclair Cake
  • Chocolate Haystacks
  • Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
  • Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
  • Chocolate Walnut Fudge
  • Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
  • Chocolate-Raspberry Cheesecake in a Jar
  • Classic Cherries Jubilee
  • Confetti Cereal Bars
  • Confetti Party Puppy Chow
  • Cookie Dough Brownie Bites
  • Cookie Sandwiches
  • Cookies ‘n’ Cream Mug Cake
  • Cookies-and-Cream Ice Cream Cake
  • Cracker Candy
  • Cream Cheese Stuffed Strawberries
  • Creamsicle Jell-O Mold
  • Crème Brûlée
  • Crispy Rice Treats
  • Custard
  • Dirt Cup
  • Easiest Key Lime Pie
  • Easy Candied Pecans
  • Easy Coconut Cream Pie
  • Easy Raspberry Coulis
  • Easy Retro Candy Buttons
  • French Silk Pie
  • Fresh Orange Freeze Pops
  • Fruity Ice Cream Sandwiches
  • Funfetti Cake Batter Bites
  • Glazed Cranberry Scones
  • Gooseberry Fool
  • Grasshopper Pie
  • Grasshopper Pie
  • Grilled Watermelon and Pineapple Skewers
  • Gummy Bears
  • Hanukkah Gelt
  • Hanukkah Jelly Donuts
  • Homemade Fudge Candy Rolls
  • Strawberry Chocolate Chip Sorbet
  • Homemade Marshmallows with Chamomile
  • Ice Cream Sundae with Nuts and Fennel
  • Individual Peanut Butter Cups
  • Jolly Holly Cookies
  • Keto Avocado Pops
  • Kumquats Preserved in Honey
  • Last-Minute Mini Fruit Tarts
  • Layered No-Bake Lemon Pudding Bars
  • Lemon & Honey Cheesecake
  • Lemon Curd Fruit Spread
  • Magical Pineapple Whip
  • Make-Ahead Nutty Cookie Lasagna
  • Margarita Watermelon
  • Martha Washington Candies
  • Mason Jar Drumstick Sundae
  • Mason Jar Trifle
  • Melty Mint Bark
  • Millionaire Pie
  • Mini Pumpkin Pies
  • Mint Chocolate Chip Cups
  • Mocha Me Crazy Icebox Cake
  • Moist Vanilla Mug Cake
  • Mouthwatering Melon Sorbet
  • Mug Cake
  • Multicolor Kool-Aid Pie
  • My-Goodness-These-Are-Amazing Cookies
  • No Bake Almond Coconut Bites
  • No-Bake Cheesecake with Balsamic Berry Sauce
  • No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake Bites
  • No-Bake Chocolate Éclair Cake
  • No-Bake Coconut Cherry Praline Bites
  • No-Bake Coconut Graham Cracker Cookie Bars
  • No-Bake Confetti Parfaits
  • No-Bake Cookie Clusters
  • No-Bake Holiday Fruitcake
  • No-Bake Lemon Bars
  • No-Bake Nutella Cheesecake
  • No-Bake Peanut Butter Snowballs
  • No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Balls
  • No-Bake Raspberry Cheesecake with Chocolate Crust
  • No-Bake Reindeer Poop
  • Nutter Butter Cheesecake
  • Old-Time Popcorn Balls
  • Oreo Icebox Dessert
  • Oreo No-Bake Cheesecake Bars
  • Oreo Truffles
  • Peachy Keen Peach Cobbler
  • Peanut Butter Bars
  • Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bites
  • Peanut Butter Fudge
  • Peanut Butter Lover’s Icebox Cake
  • Pecan Dream
  • Perfect Peppermint Patties
  • Perfect Pumpkin Pie in a Mug
  • Pineapple Dream Cake
  • Pineapple Dream Dessert
  • Pistachio Icebox Cake
  • Poppable Champagne Gummy Hearts
  • Pretzel Butterscotch
  • Quick & Easy Banana Cream Pie in a Jar
  • Quick Coffee Ice Cream
  • Raspberry Fool
  • Retro Knickerbocker Glory
  • Rice Krispies Cake
  • Rice Pudding
  • Rock Candy
  • Salted Caramel Bars
  • Salted Chocolate Peanut Clusters
  • Sea Breeze Salad
  • Sea Salted Caramels
  • Slow Cooker Brownie Pudding
  • Slow Cooker Chocolate Lava Cake
  • Slow Cooker Vanilla-Caramel Poke Cake
  • Snickerdoodle Balls
  • Snickerdoodle Milk Shake
  • Snickerdoodle Mug Cake
  • Spiced Blackberry and Peach Compote
  • Spiced Poached Pears
  • Spring Sprinkled Dipped Pretzels
  • Spumoni Ice Cream Terrine
  • Stained Glass Window Cookies
  • Strawberries with Chamomile-Infused Cream
  • Strawberry Pie
  • Strawberry-Raspberry Fluff Cake
  • The Best Pumpkin Mug Cake
  • Traditional Blueberry Slump
  • Trillionaire Dessert Bars
  • Triple Layered Cookie Pie
  • Tropical Breeze Dessert
  • Turtle Thumbprint Cookies
  • Turtles
  • Vanilla Beach
  • Vanilla Chamomile Marshmallows
  • Vanilla Cherry Ice Cream
  • Vanilla Poached Pears with Chocolate Sauce
  • Watergate Salad

Enter Your Log In Credentials

This setting should only be used on your home or work computer.

  • Lost your password? Create New Password
  • No account? Sign up

Need Assistance?

Call Food Gardening Network Customer Service at
(800) 777-2658

Food Gardening Network is an active member of the following industry associations:

  • American Horticultural Society
  • GardenComm Logo
  • MCMA logo
  • Renewd logo
  • Manage Account
  • Join
  • About Food Gardening Network
  • Contact Us
  • Affiliate Program
  • Sponsor Program
  • Give a Gift
  • Privacy Policy & Terms of Use

Food Gardening Network
99 Derby Street, Suite 200
Hingham, MA 02043
support@foodgardening.mequoda.com

FREE E-Newsletter for You!

Discover how to grow, harvest, and eat good food from your own garden—with our FREE e-newsletter, delivered directly to your email inbox.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Powered by
Mequoda Publishing Network
copyright © 2023 Mequoda Systems, LLC

Food Gardening Network® and Food Gardening Magazine® are registered trademarks of Mequoda Systems, LLC.