You Want Me to Eat What?!

Tomatoes

Chef Logan

Origin of TomatoesOriginated in South America

The first domesticated tomato may have been a little yellow fruit, similar in size to a cherry tomato, grown by the Aztecs of Central Mexico

History – How Tomatoes TraveledSpanish explorer Cortes may have been the

first to transfer the small yellow tomato to Europe after he captured the Aztec city of Tenochtítlan, now Mexico City, in 1521.

History – How Tomatoes TraveledAlthough Christopher Columbus,

may have taken them back as early as 1493

ReligionAztecs and other peoples in the region used

the fruit in their cooking; it was cultivated in southern Mexico and probably other areas by 500 BC.

The Pueblo people are thought to have believed that those who witnessed the ingestion of tomato seeds were blessed with powers of divination.

Typical foods of Americas SalsaIngredients6 Roma tomatoes, chopped4 garlic cloves, minced2 seeded and minced jalapenos, plus 2 roasted, skinned and chopped

jalapenos1 red bell pepper, fine dice1/2 red onion, fine chopped2 dry ancho chiles, seeded, cut into short strips and snipped into

pieces1 tablespoon olive oil1 lime, juicedChili powder, salt, and pepper, to tasteFresh scallions, cilantro or parsley, to tasteDirections In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Place in refrigerator for up to 12

hours for flavor infusion.Serve with tortilla chips.

Aztec Chicken Recipe Ingredients: 2 lg ripe tomatoes 4 to 5 chipotle chilies 1/2 cup chicken stock 2 Tbsp vegetable oil 4 lg garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 lg white onion, thinly sliced in half moons 2 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg 4 to 6 cups shredded cooked chicken salt and pepper, to taste Heat a griddle over high heat until a drop of water sizzles on contact. Add the

tomatoes and roast, turning several times, until blackened on all sides. Remove and let sit until cool to touch. Working over a mixing bowl to catch any juice, peel off the black skin, cut and remove any seeds. Coarsely chop into large chunks and add to a food processor or blender. Add the chilies and the chicken stock and process until coarse.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. When hot, add the garlic and onions; sautée 2 to 3 minutes until soften. Add the tomato chili mixture, cumin and nutmeg and stir for 3 minutes to heat. Reduce heat to medium; add shredded chicken and simmer uncovered, until, most of the liquid has evaporated, about 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt.

Spanish Distribution - CaribbeanThe Spanish distributed the tomato

throughout their colonies in the Caribbean.

Spanish Distribution - AsiaThey also took it to the Philippines where it spread to Asia.

Spanish Distribution - SpainThe Spanish also brought the tomato to

Europe where cultivation began in the 1540s and was certainly being used as food by the early 17th century in Spain.

Cultural Impact – Food FightThe town of Bunol, Spain, annually

celebrates La Tomatina, a festival centered on an enormous tomato fight.

Spanish Distribution - ItalyIn certain areas of Italy, such as Florence,

however, the fruit was used solely as a tabletop decoration before it was incorporated into the local cuisine in the late 17th or early 18th century.

Italian Tomato Sauce 2 (28 ounce) cans tomato puree 1 (28 ounce) can peeled plum tomatoes 2 cloves garlic 1 small onion, diced 6 cloves 1 teaspoon basil 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper 2 tablespoons sugar 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup grated cheese Directions: In a large pot, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil. Empty plum tomatoes into large bowl and squash with your hands. Add all ingredients (including any meatballs or sausage you want to

add) to pot and simmer for 3 hours.

Fun Facts - ConsumptionAccording to the U.S. Department of

Agriculture, Americans eat between 22- 24 pounds of tomatoes per person, per year. (More than half of those munchies are ketchup and tomato sauce.)

Cultural ImpactTomatoes are also a popular "nonlethal" throwing weapon in mass protests

Work Citedhttp://www.tomatodirt.com/tomato-facts.html