Originating from the Peruvian Andes and Mexico .

The Incas used to cultivate the tomato long time before it was discovered by Christopher Columbus in the 15 th century. This fruit was then brought in Spain in the 16 th century.

In France we kept its name “tomato” from the Aztec origin but Italian people called it “golden apple” and the people from Provence “love apple”.

The tomato has long since been considered as a medicinal and ornamental plant.

It was first introduced into the Mediterranean diet as a sauce and then consumed as a vegetable.

The tomato is a “fruit-vegetable” high in vitamin C and also contains potassium, iron, phosphorus, vitamins A and B. It is much appreciated for light cooking.

There are many varieties of tomatoes that vary considerably in size and that can be consumed raw or cooked.

• Marmande tomato : medium sized, ribbed; can be used as sauce, in salad, stuffed, in “ratatouille”
  
• Round tomato : as above
  
• Roma tomato : also called “plum tomato”, consumed as sauce, coulis or sometimes in salads also.
  
• Cherry tomato : not bigger than a cherry. Raw. In aperitif.
  
• Cocktail tomato : bigger than the cherry tomato, with sweet taste; consumed in aperitif, in skewer or as garnish.
  

Some other varieties also exist such as “heart of beef” tomato , big fruit that looks like a heart, “capsicum” tomato, very elongated fruit, etc.