How the Humble Tomato Went From Feared Underdog to Culinary Darling

Now a beloved staple across much of the world, the tomato initially struggled to gain acceptance in European and American kitchens.

Tomatoes are a staple ingredient of so many dishes and cuisines. Sabbir Digital/Shutterstock

If someone looked in your kitchen right now, there’s a good chance they’d find a tomato. It’s the third-most popular vegetable, according to the Foundation for Fresh Produce, a trade organization that tracks and promotes fruit and vegetable sales in the United States. You’ll find it tucked in sandwiches, simmered into sauces, tossed in salads, grilled, and roasted.

But it wasn’t that long ago that home cooks avoided them altogether for fear that they might be poisonous. While that might sound absurd now, it seemed reasonable at the time, and leading medical experts cautioned against their use.

A Slow Rise to Fame

The tomato is native to South America. Its wild cousin, the currant tomato (Solanum pimpinellifolium), offers tiny plump red fruit about the size of a fingernail. The Aztecs and Mayans cultivated the tomato. It flavored sauces and stews and was often served with chiles and native spices.