The origin of our beloved tomato ranges from South America to Mexico. It was not until the 1500’s that it reached Europe, possibly thanks to  Christopher Columbus. The Spanish were the first Europeans to grow tomatoes in their warm Mediterranean climate. It’s acceptance proved a rocky road as some countries in Northern Europe thought it poisonous. Many wealthy Europeans at that time were eating on pewter plates and using pewter cutlery. The acidity of the tomato reacted with the pewter causing lead to leach into the food. People wrongly assumed that the tomato was causing the poisoning. It  was not until the 1800s that the tomato became popular in in Italy, when the Queen consort, Margherita was due to visit Naples. Pizza maker Raffaele Esposito created a new  pizza, the pizza Margherita. It was garnished with tomatoes, basil and mozzarella to represent the National colors of the Italian flag.

EarlyGirl, Lemon Boy  Mortgage Lifter…It was only recently I came to appreciate the stories behind some of our most popular tomatoes names.

Surprisingly this tomato is NOT named for our favorite cereal but for a humble gardener named Darrell Kellogg in Redford, Michigan. The interior of this gorgeous tomato is a sunny bright color reminiscent of fresh squeezed orange juice. Apparently DK thought it good enough to eat for breakfast.

This lovely heirloom tomato has a very sweet story to go along with its name. The tomato comes from Czechoslovakia passed down since the early 1900s. Marianna was a young girl who escaped capture in WW2. A decade after losing contact with her family, they finally reunited. Before her father died he gave her the seeds as a gift.

Cherokee Purple Craig Le Houllier received seeds of an unnamed purple tomato from JD Green along with a letter indicating Cherokee origins of the tomato in the late 1800s.Le Houllier was wary of selling the tomato because he thought it was such an unusual shape and color; saying it looked a little like a leg bruise. It has not only been popular, but a runaway hit!

MC Boyle owned an auto repair shop  in Logan West Virginia in the early 1900’s. When not working on radiators MC, an avid gardener had a goal of creating a very big tasty tomato. During the Depression when the economy wasn’t great MC was able to sell his tomato plants for $2.50 a piece.  He sold so many that he was able to pay off his $6000 house mortgage within a few years. The tomato became known as the Mortgage Lifter.

How wedding  presents have changed!!  A great aunt of Vivi Lindsey’s fiancé gave her seeds of a tomato as a wedding gift in 1922. Viva Lindsey cherished this wedding gift more than any other she received. So it goes … the start of her long love affair with tomato’s and hopefully with her husband too.

If you can only grow a few, which ones? I asked many of my trusted tomato lovers, gardeners and chefs to give me their top 5.

Gardeners tip– This hugely popular yellow cherry tomato sells out fast ! It wants to be planted deeply in full sun, is a prolific grower and takes 65 days to mature.

Chefs tip– One chef I asked about this tomato said It is so ridiculously sweet that it tastes like you are popping sugar cubes in your mouth.  Perfect chopped up in fresh guacamole or in a caprese salad.

Gardeners tip– This deep orange tomato must be staked or caged as it can reach an average of 5 or 6 feet tall. It is about the size and shape of an egg, fruits early and is a prolific grower.

Chefs tip– Tastes best when picked early and still firm. It will set your heart on fire with its citrusy and fruity flavor. This is a wonderful tomato to dry slowly. Dry the tomatoes cut side up in the oven on 200 degrees, add a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper and serve over fresh bruschetta.

Gardeners tip– This much loved oversized yellow tomato with green streaks must be pruned back on the vine regularly to stimulate fruit growth.

Chefs tip– A favorite one to eat raw right off the vine this tomato also makes a delicious rich yellow tomato sauce or perfect for making a creamy yellow tomato soup.

Gardeners tip– This deep dusky rose color tomato is best when left to ripen on the vine for it’s rich flavor.

Chefs tip– The dark generous flavor of this tomato makes it fantastic on a BLT or is the perfect addition to a roast beef sandwich with a little fresh rocket and horseradish sauce.

Gardeners tip– This is a must beefsteak tomato! It is very large with a thin pinkish / red skin. It is a vigorous grower but a late producer …worth the wait. It is susceptible to disease So you must watch it closely, prune often and water evenly.

Chefs tip– A favorite one for slow roasting with just olive oil and salt and pepper, delightful when herb crusted or stuffed with shallots, parmesan, sage, garlic and parsley.

Gardeners tip– This  showy green tomato with yellow- ish stripes is easy to grow and fairly resistant to disease. It is hard to tell when it is ripe but when the Zebra’s  light green stripes turn yellow it is ready to go.

Chefs tip– The zebra has a wonderfully spicy and zingy flavor. It is perfection served simply  with a chunk of Parmesan.  Of course these tomatoes also make mouth watering fried green tomatoes.