Did you know that the tomato was not recognized as food in this country until long after it was commonly eaten in Europe?

Until hardly more than a hundred years ago tomatoes were thought to be poisonous in the United States due to their relation to the deadly nightshade. Long before they were considered edible, tomatoes were grown only as an ornamental garden plant; Thomas Jefferson famously had several decorating his estate. In 1830, according to legend, one Colonel Robert G. Johnson set out to eat a basket of raw tomatoes on the steps of the courthouse in front of a horrified crowd. This bold act led to the gradual acceptance of tomatoes as food.