60K views · 1.9K reactions | Aztec cuisine was remarkably different...

In 700 AD Aztec farmers transformed wild tomatoes from the Andes into a plump sweet fruit called xitomatl used in sacred rituals and cooking. In 1521 Spanish conquistadors brought tomatoes to Europe where they were feared because they resembled deadly nightshade and absorbed lead from pewter plates. Poor communities and innovative Italian cooks saw potential in the fruit and developed rich sauces that defined Italian cuisine. By the 1800s American companies like Heinz and Campbells popularized t