The beginning of the success of tomatoes at the table it is due to the chef from the Marches but transplanted to Naples Antonio Latini, lived in the 1600s.
If it is true that the tomato, declined in a myriad of recipes and variations, is one of the typical foods of our gastronomy, it is equally true that it has not always been this way.
These exquisite and versatile vegetables arrived in Europe after the discovery of America , but they did not immediately meet people's tastes ( see also :https://www.pilloledistoria.it/9675/storia-moderna/tavola-nellitalia-rinascimentale-cosa-si-mangiava).
Many even considered them "poisonous" or, at best, food suitable only for the poor.
In short, for over a century, tomatoes in the Old Continent were used almost exclusively as an ornamental plant (exactly as happened with potatoes ).
Everything changed thanks to Antonio Latini.
The far-sighted chef he was the first to develop imaginative tomato-based recipes, including sauce.
Thanks to him, it was finally understood that not only did they taste great, but they also lent themselves to numerous experiments.
The first to appreciate its characteristics were therefore the Neapolitans, but from there to the rest of Europe it didn't take long.
It must be admitted that Antonio Latini was definitely an innovator in the kitchen.
For centuries now, tomatoes have been a must on our tables.
What would the Mediterranean diet be without these splendid fruits of nature? ( Photo from :abebooks.it).