From a tomato to Italian treasure

Rome: Do you love tomatoes? Consider yourself lucky to be living in an era where the edibles are available in many types, sizes, and colors. Our ancestors thought the plant species was poisonous and didn’t include it into the menu of edibles for many decades.

If you think Italians were the first to introduce the world to the species, then you need to learn the history associated with Italian tomato. Italy took years to accept the plant and add it to its cuisine. How did the edible become Italian treasure?

To get an answer to the question, you need to dig deeper into the history of the edible and learn how it was introduced to Italians.

The Discovery: As per historians, the origin of tomatoes dates back to around 700 A.D. It is believed that the early Aztecs were the first to discover the plant. The fact suggests that the fruit is native to the Americas.

Europeans came to know about the species during the 16th century, thanks to explorers roaming in search of new lands. When humans discovered the first tomato, they admired its beauty. However, they did not add it to the list of edibles thinking it’s a poisonous plant.

The notion came from the plant’s appearance that made it look similar to other harmful plant species. Europeans are believed to be the first humans to start consuming the edibles. In the 18th century, during the Europeans’ mass immigration to America, the culinary cultures of two regions blended and the plant got a place in the modern human’s kitchen.

Tomato in Italian culture: Today, tomatoes are the main ingredient in an Italian menu. From plum type to others, there are many types that people use to prepare various kinds of domestic dishes. However, the plant’s journey to the Italian kitchen wasn’t easy.

It took a long time for the fruit to convince the people that they can be consumed. In Europe, the Spanish Conquistadors were the first to learn about tomatoes, thanks to their journeys to the Americas. They acquired those regions when the fruit was already there. However, it’s strange to know that tomatoes became popular in Europe well before the Americas. It is because Colonial Americans thought the beautiful species was harmful. During the 1500s, Columbus and his fellow explorers told Europe about the plant type.

However, it took more than 200 years for the region to accept that the plant is not a harmful species and can be consumed. It took another two hundred years for the plant to become an Italian treasure. By the late 1700s, the peasants of Naples started to do experiments with tomatoes. They began to put them on the top of their bread, which was similar to modern-day pizza.

The bread became very popular, especially among wealthy individuals from Europe and America. In the same period, these red berries used to prepare sauces and pastes. In 1889, the King and Queen of Italy tasted three pizzas made by famous pizza-maker Raffaele Esposito. Queen Margherita liked one of the pizzas that became Margherita pizza in the modern-day world.

Tomato in modern-day Italy: Today, there are varieties of tomatoes grown all over the world, including the famous Italian cherry ones. Many of the Italian species are extremely popular across the globe and transported to different regions as the best-canned plum tomatoes. There are various kinds of Italian dishes that include the edible as the main ingredient. Apart from that, the fruit is used to make sauces and pastes.

Their tomatoes are extremely popular, and they are transported to different parts of the world in many forms. For example, San Marzano canned tomatoes are plum ones peeled with a basil leaf. They are prepared in Italy and supplied to people worldwide who require them.

Conclusion: Italy may have taken a long time to accept the fruit as an ingredient, but their species are famous around the world right now. There are various kinds of Italian products that you can buy online from an ItalianFoodOnlineStore. Get a product of your choice from a trusted store and prepare a dish with the finest ingredients.