How did tomatoes get to the New World?

The Tomato History has origins traced back to the early Aztecs around 700 A.D; therefore it is believed that the tomato is native to the Americas. It was not until around the 16th century that Europeans were introduced to this fruit when the early explorers set sail to discover new lands.

How did tomatoes end up in Italy?

The political tomato 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. Either way, by 1548, the tomato was to be found in Cosimo’s botanical gardens in Pisa.

Where did tomatoes end up?

The tomato evolved from the prehistoric nightshade plant. This plant shares a family tree with the potato, pepper and tobacco plant, and grew exclusively in warm wet areas of South America. The wild tomato was a small, cherry sized berry and most likely yellow in color.

Are tomatoes a New World food?

Many sources note that tomatoes originated in the New World; The Food Timeline indicates that tomatoes were introduced to the New World in 1781. The Food Timeline indicates that strawberries and raspberries were available in the 1st century in Europe; other sources identify them as New World commodities.

When were tomatoes first eaten?

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.

When did tomatoes enter Italian cuisine?

But as iconic as the tomato is to Italian cuisine, it wasn’t always that way. The tomato came from the Americas, and it was only introduced to Italy in the 15th or 16th century.

Who first ate tomatoes?

How were tomatoes used in the Old World?

European Beginnings When the Spanish brought the tomato back to Europe, it was mostly used as a decorative plant — even though they were aware that the Aztecs did consume it, they believed that it was a food best eaten in cold weather.