You Say Tomato, Part II

Did you know that the tomato is actually a fruit? It literally took a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1893 to declare the tomato a vegetable. The situation arose when tomato importers were angry over having to pay a tariff on all imported vegetables. Fruits were not taxed so the wily importers tried to sneak the tomato through as a fruit.

California has become the world's number one tomato producer-in 1996, over 23 billion pounds of California tomatoes found their way into salsa, ketchup, tomato juice, pizza sauce, tomato soup and other tomato-based products. Florida and Mexico are other tomato growers extraordinaire.

The Campbell Soup Company has enjoyed huge profits, thanks to the tomato. In 1897 the company offered a line of condensed soups. Its best seller was tomato soup made with bushels of New Jersey-grown beefsteak tomatoes. The first Campbell's tomato soup label showed two men staggering under the weight of a huge tomato hanging from a long pole.

Two popular American condiments rely on tomatoes-ketchup and salsa. Ketchup is a Chinese invention-it was a soy-and-fish-based sauce called ke-tsiap. British sailors brought the sauce back with them to England. Tomatoes became part of the mix sometime in the late 1700s. James Mease, a New Jersey resident, invented tomato "catchup" and published his recipe in 1812. When the H. J. Heinz Company of Pittsburgh introduced its ketchup to the American public in 1876, it was a huge success.

There is no real chronology for the creation of salsa. It is a Mexican dish that eventually moved north, first into the American southwest and finally throughout the country. The salsa we know today is made from chopped tomatoes, onions, green peppers, chilis, cilantro and perhaps a dash of lime juice. In addition to serving it with tortilla chips, tacos and burritos, Americans top scrambled eggs, hamburgers and chicken with salsa. Yum!

One of my fondest memories of my Grandma Draeger comes from the many cookouts she held at her home. A summertime meal at her table meant we would find a huge platter of bright red tomato slices sitting on the table. It was another way Grandma showed her love for her family. She took extra care to peel the tomatoes and artfully arrange the slices around a bunch of crisp green onions. All we needed was a little salt and pepper to bring out the full flavor of the tomatoes. Grandpa Draeger liked to grow tomatoes in his vegetable garden, too. There's nothing like the flavor of a vine-ripened tomato, especially when it's been grown by the loving hands of a family member.

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