Knowra Tomato Tomato A tomato is the edible fruit of plants in the genus Solanum, especially Solanum lycopersicum. It is botanically a berry and is eaten fresh or processed in cuisines worldwide.
Solanum lycopersicum : The domesticated plant species that produces most tomatoes grown for food. This species is the source of the familiar cultivated tomato.
Tomato sauce : A sauce made primarily from tomatoes, commonly seasoned and used in many cuisines. Cooking tomatoes concentrates their flavor into a versatile sauce.
Mesoamerica : A historical cultural region extending from central Mexico through much of Central America. Tomato domestication and early cultivation took place in this region.
Vegetable : A culinary category for edible plant parts commonly used in savory dishes. Cooks commonly treat tomatoes as vegetables, although botanists classify their fruits differently.
Berry : A simple fleshy fruit developed from one flower ovary, usually containing seeds. Botanically, a tomato is a berry despite its culinary treatment as a vegetable.
Tomato paste : A thick tomato concentrate made by cooking tomatoes and removing much of their water. Industrial processing turns tomatoes into a shelf-stable, concentrated ingredient.
Aztec agriculture : The farming systems used by the Aztec Empire, including intensive cultivation around its capital. Nahuatl-speaking peoples cultivated tomatoes before Europeans brought them across the Atlantic.
Fruit : The mature ovary of a flowering plant, often containing seeds. The tomato is a fruit by botanical definition, even when used as a savory ingredient.
Carotenoid : A family of pigments found in plants and other organisms, including compounds involved in photosynthesis and coloration. Carotenoids give ripe tomatoes much of their red, orange, and yellow color.
Sun-dried tomato : A tomato preserved by drying, which removes water and intensifies its flavor. Drying is another way to preserve tomatoes while concentrating their taste.
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