Summer isn’t complete without big, juicy, flavorful tomatoes—tomatoes that practically beg to be served with a bib—and it seems we’re not alone! The tomato is America’s fourth most popular fresh veggie, after potatoes, lettuce, and onions. Of course, with over 10,000 varieties of tomato, it’s no surprise. There’s bound to be a tomato suited to nearly every taste bud. And because of the sheer number of varieties, they can grow most places. In fact, 93% of American homes that garden grow tomatoes. That’s more than any other at-home veggie. You get the picture, right? Tomatoes are a popular vegetable… or are they?
Ok, ok. So the tomato is actually a fruit, not a vegetable. Technically a fruit is the edible part of a plant, when that part contains seeds; vegetables, on the other hand, are stems, leaves, or roots. And anyone who has ever bit into a tomato knows that they’re full of seeds. Have you ever wondered where the confusion came from? It was actually from the US Supreme Court! In the 1890s, the court labeled tomatoes as a vegetable for taxation purposes. The more you know!
If the tomato ranks among your favorite fruits or vegetables, then help yourself to some of these tasty tomato recipes. They are absolutely bursting with flavor.
