Fruit or Vegetable?

No garden salad would be complete without at least one LOVELY ripe tomato.

Although many people have the idea that tomatoes are vegetables, they are

actually a fruit. A far-off RELATIVE of chillies, aubergines and, though it seems UNBELIEVABLE potatoes, tomatoes taste nothing like these vegetables. When picking out tomatoes, BUYERS should look out for a bright red colour and a SHINY thin skin.

There are many VARIETIES to choose from, but all tomatoes are juicy inside and

most contain NUMEROUS seeds that you can actually eat.

ORIGINALLY, tomatoes came from South America - from the west coast of Peru,

Ecuador, and Bolivia. Although in the past many people thought tomatoes were POISONOUS if eaten, the Mexicans have been growing them for over two centuries.

Brought to Europe in the 16th century, tomatoes did not gain in POPULARITY in

England until the late 19th century. HEALTHY and delicious, tomatoes are now one of the most popular fruits in the world.