March 30th, 2008

Myths of the tomato - from Wikipedia
There are many legends about the tomato. For example, it has been claimed that tomatoes were not widely eaten in the U.S. until the late 1800s. It has sometimes been claimed that tomatoes were considered aphrodisiacs and so were shunned by the Puritans. Other claims center on the supposed fear that tomatoes were poisonous, based on the fact that they belong to the Solanales Order, or “Nightshade” family, which contains many toxic plants. Many legends also maintain that the tomato was introduced into the U.S. from South America by one particular person; Thomas Jefferson is sometimes mentioned.
Tomatoes’ status as an aphrodisiac may be due to a mistranslation. Legend has it a Frenchman on his travels ate a meal with tomatoes in it and was fascinated with the new taste. He went back to the chef, who was Italian, and asked him what this new ingredient was. The chef said “Pomme de Maure” (Apple of the Moors), but the Frenchman misunderstood and thought he said “Pomme d’amour” (apple of love). The modern Italian word for tomato however is “pomodoro”, which means “golden apple”. Also, there is no plausible connection of the tomato to the Moors.
In the United States, the most famous legend of this sort was introduced by Joseph S. Sickler in the mid-1900s, and became the subject of a CBS broadcast of You Are There in 1949. The story goes that the lingering doubts about the safety of the tomato in the United States were largely put to rest in 1820, when Colonel Robert Gibbon Johnson announced that at noon on September 26, he would eat a basket of tomatoes in front of the Salem, New Jersey courthouse. Reportedly, a crowd of more than 2,000 persons gathered in front of the courthouse to watch the poor man die after eating the poisonous fruits, and were shocked when he lived. In his book Smith notes that there is little, if any, historical evidence for any of these legends, and that they continue to be repeated largely because they are entertaining stories.
It is also said that the tomato became popular in France during the French Revolution, because the revolutionaries’ iconic color was red; and at one point it was suggested that they should eat red food as a show of loyalty. Since European royalty was still leery of the nightshade-related tomato, it apparently was the perfect choice. This may also be why the first reported use of the tomato in the U.S. was in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1812, because of the French influence in that region.
There is also a story which claims that an agent for Britain attempted to kill General George Washington by feeding him a dish laced with tomatoes during the American Revolution.
Tomato Curry
This dish is from India . The Indian tomato is similar to western plum tomato. Canned rather than fresh is preferable It can be done with an equal portion of fresh and canned. Serve with a simple rice dish.
1 large can of tomatoes 3 Tbsp of vegetable oil 1 large onion 1 clove garlic 2 green chili peppers 2 inch fresh ginger (1 teaspoon dried ground) 1 teaspoon mustard seed 1 bay leaf 1 teaspoon chili powder 2 teaspoons ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 tablespoon dessicated coconut 1.5 teaspoons salt.
Cooking time: 45 minutes Drain juice from can of tomatoes and reserve it. Cut the tomatoes in half. Heat the oil/margarine or oil in a large saucepan. Peel and slice the onion and garlic. Top and tail the chilies and cut lengthwise. Peel and slice the ginger thinly. Fry onion and garlic, until soft. Add mustard seeds. Add all the rest of the spices except the salt. Cook for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes. Bring to boil and add sufficient tomato juice to make a moist curry. Sprinkle in the salt and the coconut. Cover pan and simmer for 30 minutes (Fresh tomatoes 45 minutes) add more juice as required.
Thai Tomato Fish Soup
2 15 oz cans stewed tomatoes 5 oz white flesh fish; cooked 3 cup coconut milk 1/2 ts red curry paste 2 tb fish soy 1 tb lemon juice 2 tb fresh coriander; chopped or 1 green onion; chopped
Puree the tomatoes in a food processor. Set aside. Then puree the fish with the coconut milk. Put tomatoes, blended fish and coconut milk, curry paste, fish soy, and lemon juice in a soup pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh coriander leaves or chopped green onion tops before serving.
Tomato Pie

1 (9-inch) deep dish pie crust 1/2 cup crushed saltine crackers 6 large tomatoes 2-3 Tbsp. Fresh basil, chopped 2/3 to 3/4 cup mayonnaise 1-2 Tbsp. Chopped parsley 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Bake pie crust until golden brown. Peel and chop tomatoes and let drain in a colander for 1/2 HOUR. Mix mayonnaise with Parmesan cheese. Toss tomatoes, basil, and parsley. Place tomatoes in pie crust. Spread mayonnaise and cheese mixture over the top. Sprinkle cracker crumbs on top. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. Yields 8 servings.
Tomato Pudding
Tomato Pudding Doesn’t sound too appetizing but TRY IT…. YOU”LL LIKE IT !
1 cup. brown sugar 1 cup. tomato puree 1/4 cup water 2 cup bread cubes 1/4 cu soy butter, melted
Combine brown sugar, tomato puree, and water. Cook 5 minutes. While tomato mixture is cooking, put bread cubes in a small sprayed casserole and pour butter over. Top with piping hot tomato mixture. Bake at 325 for 50 minutes. This can be doubled without doubling the butter. This is not a low-fat cooking healthy recipe, but the amount of butter could be reduced with good results.
French Fried Tomatoes
4 under-ripe tomatoes 1 teaspoon salt Bread crumbs 1 teaspoon sugar 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1 egg — slightly beaten 1/4 cup milk
Wash the tomatoes and cut them in 1-inch slices. Do not peel. Dust with salt, pepper and sugar. Dip in the egg, slightly beaten and mixed with the milk. Then roll the sliced tomato in the crumbs, Place in a frying basket and fry in deep fat hot enough to brown a bit of bread in 55 seconds. Drain on toweling or paper napkins.
Tomato Salad

1 large red tomato, sliced 1 large yellow tomato, sliced 1 cucumber, sliced 8 ounces of mozzarella cheese,sliced 2 tablespoons of olive oil 1 tablespoon of lemon juice salt and pepper to taste 1/3 cup of chopped basil
Layer all the vegetables and cheese and then combine oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Drizzle over salad and top with basil. Chill, if desired.. . . . . . . . . .
Originally Syndicated via RSS from Healthy Yet Yummy Food - For Healthy, Delicious And Quick Meal Recipes
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Tomato Power. . . .
Chicken And Bacon Casserole. . . .
Healthy Cooking Healthy Recipe: Tomato Basil Squares. . . .
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