Could there be anything more perfect than a ripe tomato, freshly picked, still warm from the sun? Tomatoes are one of those special foods that make our hearts flutter. With the arrival of tomato season, we'll be eating tomatoes in just about everything, from salads and pastas to BLTs and yes, on their own, with a sprinkling of salt.
Like anything we're really passionate about, we want to learn everything there is to know about tomatoes. Most people probably know that tomatoes are actually a fruit, but that's just the beginning of the long list of interesting facts we've found out.
Here are 11 things you probably don't know about tomatoes.
People used to believe tomatoes were poisonous.
In the 1700s, some Europeans feared the tomato because aristocrats were getting sick and dying after eating them. The tomato even earned the nickname the "poisonous apple." The problem wasn't the tomatoes, however, but the pewter plates on which the tomatoes were served. Because of tomatoes' high acidity, the fruit would leach lead from the plates, which resulted in many deaths from lead poisoning, falsely attributed to tomatoes. Luckily people eventually came to their senses and figured out the lead was to blame -- not the tomatoes.
Tomatoes do not belong in the refrigerator.
The cold air in the fridge stops the tomato from ripening, and ripening is what gives tomatoes more flavor. The cold temperature will also alter the texture of the tomato, breaking down the membranes inside the fruit walls and turning it mealy. Word to the wise: keep your tomatoes out on the counter if you want them to taste good and retain their wonderful texture.
Like anything we're really passionate about, we want to learn everything there is to know about tomatoes. Most people probably know that tomatoes are actually a fruit, but that's just the beginning of the long list of interesting facts we've found out.
Here are 11 things you probably don't know about tomatoes.
People used to believe tomatoes were poisonous.
In the 1700s, some Europeans feared the tomato because aristocrats were getting sick and dying after eating them. The tomato even earned the nickname the "poisonous apple." The problem wasn't the tomatoes, however, but the pewter plates on which the tomatoes were served. Because of tomatoes' high acidity, the fruit would leach lead from the plates, which resulted in many deaths from lead poisoning, falsely attributed to tomatoes. Luckily people eventually came to their senses and figured out the lead was to blame -- not the tomatoes.
Tomatoes do not belong in the refrigerator.
The cold air in the fridge stops the tomato from ripening, and ripening is what gives tomatoes more flavor. The cold temperature will also alter the texture of the tomato, breaking down the membranes inside the fruit walls and turning it mealy. Word to the wise: keep your tomatoes out on the counter if you want them to taste good and retain their wonderful texture.
