Tomatoes aren't native to Italy but they’ve become the reigning queen of the Italian table: they're umami-rich, with hundreds - if not thousands -  of varieties in Italy. Although tomatoes are the queen of the Italian table that's not always been the case. 
It was only during the 19th century that widespread use of the tomato in Italian cuisine began: the tomato was only brought to Italy in the 1500s. Initially it was believed that tomatoes were poisonous. 
Rather than using the tomato in cuisine more often than not it was ornamental and decorated the Italian table. Join us on our deep dive into everything about the Italian tomato, from history to botanical classification to prized Italian varieties. And of course delicious ways to use the beloved tomato, with lots of fabulous recipes!