In 1519, Hermann Cortès discovers tomato in the Gulf of Mexico. Consumed since a very long time by the Aztechs, it grows then wildly. Nowadays, there still exists 9 varieties of wild tomatoes, including the 'currant' tomato, close to our cherry
tomato. Its Indian name tomatl is immediately adopted by the conquistadors.
In the XVIIth century, tomatoes are cultivated and consumed in Europe by the Spaniards and the Italians only. The latter call it 'golden apples'.

Around 1750, tomatoes land at last in Provence, but Parisians discover them only in 1775 in vegetable stores.
Long considered poisonous, they are used as ornament plants. As they discover their glaring blunder, the French call them love apples» !
At the end of the XIXth century, it is the Europeans, who introduce the first improved species of tomatoes in Northern America. Ironically, ketchup would not have been created without the Europeans!