Men used to eat tomatoes in public to demonstrate their courage and might, and the ladies would faint upon witnessing such shocking scenes.
Scenes like these don’t originate from a Hollywood comedy—they actually happened in the United States back in the 18th century.
Today, tomatoes are widely known as an anti-aging superfood. They contain potassium and Vitamin C and are high in lycopene, which some studies show can reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.
What many do not know is that once upon a time, tomatoes were grown in gardens as ornamental plants. They were fearfully nicknamed “poison apples” and were considered poisonous in North America for nearly 200 years.
If we tomato lovers could thank someone for dispelling the misconception, it would be one of our Founding Fathers, Thomas Jefferson. He was not only a politician; he was also known as a horticulturist, paleontologist, and foodie. When he served as the minister to France (1785–1789), he accumulated an enormous collection of European recipes and brought them back to America. Apparently, his taste in food has greatly influenced American food culture.
We don’t know for sure whether Jefferson brought the tomato seeds back home from Europe, but there is a record of him planting tomatoes in his backyard. Legend has it that Jefferson ate a tomato in front of his houseguests and, afterward, served delicious tomato dishes to them. There is no doubt that if the internet had existed back in the 18th century, “are tomatoes really edible?” and “did Thomas Jefferson die after eating a tomato?” would have been among the top searches.
In 1820, a man named Robert Johnson staged a “tomato trial” on the steps of a New Jersey courthouse. He ate a full basket of tomatoes—and he did not die.
In time, tomatoes became a popular fruit to consume. First Lady Jackie Kennedy had a favorite tomato soup recipe, which her staff compiled and distributed to anyone who wrote to the White House asking for her favorite recipes. Try your hand at this simple yet refreshing version of tomato soup.
Mrs. John F. Kennedy’s Iced Tomato Soup
Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 6 large, ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- ¼ cup water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- A dash of pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cubes chicken bouillon, dissolved in 2 cups boiling water
- 1 cup heavy cream
Directions
- Combine tomatoes, onion, water, salt, and pepper in a saucepan.
- Cook over moderate heat for 5 minutes.
- Combine tomato paste with flour and add to tomatoes with chicken bouillon.
- Simmer gently for 3 minutes.
- Pass the mixture through a fine sieve.
- Chill several hours.
- Before serving, add cream.
- Season with salt to taste if necessary. Garnish each serving with a thin tomato slice if desired.
Recipe from the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.
