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 speaking the tomato is the fruit of the plant Solanum lycopersicum. But culinarily, it is generally treated as a vegetable. The debate over whether it qualifies as a fruit or veggie stems from biological versus culinary definitions. Of course, scientifically it fits the definition of a fruit as it contains seeds and develops from the ovary of a flowering plant. But in terms of taste and how it is used it is more savory than sweet like most fruits. This discrepancy led to an actual Supreme Court case in 1893 debating if it should be taxed as a vegetable or exempt as a fruit! Ultimately 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 16th century, tomatoes were first dubbed “love apples.” It’s unclear exactly why The leading theory connects it to misinterpretations around the French and Italian names The sensual connotations of “love” and “golden” added an air of mystery and suggestiveness to the tomato’s reputation.
Calling them apples seems to be a reference to their round shape and possibly the fact they were sometimes called “golden apples.” Love also may have implied forbiddenness, highlighting suspicions about tomatoes at the time. Some posit it was a kind of Eve’s apple that could stir up passions. Tomato plants were believed to be aphrodisiacs, so tying the fruit to love and seduction made sense to English speakers.
Another related idea is that the name “love apple” came from how the tomato would blush when ripe, likening it to a coy lover. In any case, for 150 years that was the primary English term for tomatoes.
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”. The tomato, along with maize (corn), potatoes, chilli peppers and sweet potatoes was introduced to Spain in the early sixteenth century with the voyages of Columbus.
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.