The tomato is a fruit that feels like a vegetable. Its status as one was even legally debated in court at one point! But whatever you call it, the tomato is a nutritious, versatile, and downright delicious ingredient. However, it wasn’t always seen that way. When tomatoes were first introduced in North America from Central and South America, there was a lot of suspicion and fear surrounding them. This extended even to what they were called. One of the earliest names used for tomatoes was “love apple.”
What’s in a Name?
Botanically, a tomato is the fruit of the Solanum lycopersicum plant. But culinarily, it is generally treated as a vegetable. The argument over whether it’s a fruit or a vegetable comes from biological and culinary definitions. Of course, it’s a fruit according to science since it has seeds and grows from the ovary of a flowering plant. In terms of taste and how it’s used, though, it’s not as sweet as most fruits. Because of this difference, the Supreme Court had to decide in 1893 whether it should be taxed as a vegetable or not at all as a fruit. In the end, the Court ruled in favor of vegetables.
But what we call tomatoes today has gone through many iterations. Early names for tomatoes included “golden apple” “mala Peruviana” (Peruvian apple) and “pomi d’oro” (golden apple). The French called them “pomme d’amour” which translates to love apple. The Italians similarly called them “pomi d’oro” or apple of gold.
The Love Apple Misnomer
In England in the 1600s, tomatoes were first called “love apples.” It’s not clear why, but the most popular theory has to do with misunderstandings of the French and Italian names. The sensual meanings of “love” and “golden” gave the tomato’s reputation an air of mystery and sexiness.
The name “apples” comes from the fact that they are round, and they were also sometimes called “golden apples.” Love may have also meant forbidden things, which made people suspicious about tomatoes at the time. Some say it was like Eve’s apple in that it could make people angry. People in England thought that tomato plants could make people more sexually interested, so connecting the fruit to love and seduction made sense.
Some people think that the name “love apple” comes from the way tomatoes blush when they’re ready, which makes them look like a sneaky lover. In any case, that was the main English word for tomatoes for 150 years.
Were Tomatoes Considered Poisonous?
So why would tomatoes be seen as forbidden or dangerous? When tomatoes were first introduced to England and North America from Central and South America in the 1500s, most people were extremely distrustful of them. The prevalent belief was that they were toxic. People thought the fruit was so poisonous that eating them could lead to insanity, cancer, or death.
Several factors contributed to this belief. One is that tomatoes are in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. Many nightshade varieties are actually toxic, like belladonna. People likely associated tomatoes with these dangerous relatives. Secondly, pewter plates were popular in Colonial America. The high acidity of tomatoes would leach lead from these plates, causing lead poisoning. Lastly, wealthy Europeans would eat off plates painted with lead-based glaze, which tomatoes also reacted with. Cases of lead poisoning after eating tomatoes reinforced the idea they were deadly.
For 200 years tomatoes were mainly grown ornamentally in English gardens, but not eaten. Certain colonists did start eating and cooking with tomatoes in the late 1700s. Thomas Jefferson was one of the first to grow tomatoes for culinary purposes and help dispel myths about their dangers. But overall suspicion and debate continued well into the 1800s before tomatoes gained widespread acceptance as a food.
When Did Tomatoes Finally Lose Their “Love Apple” Association?
By the 1800s, the name “love apple” started to fade in usage. Tomatoes were losing their scandalous reputation as more people ate them without incident. Farmers certainly didn’t want to deter customers away from their crops with ominous names. They needed to rebrand tomatoes as wholesome, harmless produce.
Cookbooks and newspapers actually helped drive this reclamation, frequently publishing tomato recipes that normalized them. Leaders like Jefferson also helped alter public perception by serving tomatoes and touting their merits. Immigrants from Italy and other countries where tomatoes were regular cuisine further incorporated them into American diets and food culture.
The name we know them by today comes from their original Nahuatl (Aztec language) name tomatl. This became tomate in Spanish. By the late 1700s, English speakers shortened tomato from earlier terms like tomata. Tomato had displaced love apple entirely by the mid-to-late 1800s. They were finally recognized as a kitchen staple rather than an object of mystery and fear.
The Humble Tomato’s Rise to Fame
It’s incredible how much the reputation of tomatoes has transformed over a relatively short few centuries. From being considered a deadly indulgence to an essential ingredient, the tomato’s history is full of contradictions. But through developments in science, medicine, agriculture, and communications, fears were gradually supplanted by facts.
Tomatoes are now the most consumed “vegetable” in the United States and integral to cuisines across the globe. Italy is famous for its tomatoes. Ketchup and pizza sauce would be unthinkable without tomatoes. They star in dishes like ratatouille, gazpacho, salsa, and shakshuka. Hybrids like the grape tomato make snacking easy. Heirloom varieties offer incredible diversity in size, flavor, and color.
From suspicious forbidden fruit to beloved produce, the tomato’s rise to fame is a testament to the human capacity to evolve our thinking and perceptions. Next time you fire up marinara sauce or slice tomatoes for a salad, appreciate how far this humble fruit has come. The forbidden “love apple” is long gone, but tomatoes will likely continue winning our hearts for generations to come.
FAQ
What were tomatoes once called?
Most likely the first variety to reach Europe was yellow in color, since in Spain and Italy they were known as pomi d’oro, meaning yellow apples. Dec 28, 2022.
What is the original word for tomato?
The Aztec word ‘tomatl’ meant simply “plump fruit” and the Spanish conquerors called it “tomate”. Corn, potatoes, chili peppers, and sweet potatoes were brought to Spain by Columbus in the early 1600s. The tomato was similarly brought there.
What was the nickname for tomatoes?
Similarly, the French had their own name for tomatoes, calling them “pomme d’amour,” which translates to “love apple. ” This quirky nickname was given due to the belief that tomatoes had aphrodisiacal properties. Many called tomatoes “wolf peaches” as well. Now let’s look at the journey of tomatoes to North America.
What is a tomato also known as?
fruit. Also known as: Lycopersicon esculentum, Lycopersicon pimpinelli folium, Solanum esculentum, Solanum lycopersicum, pomodoro.