Happy Valentine’s Day, from the original “Love Apple” Tomatoes weren’t always the beloved veg/fruit they are today. When they first arrived in Europe from the Americas in the 16th century, people were deeply suspicious of them. Their shiny, red skins looked enticing, but many believed they were poisonous—possibly because they belonged to the deadly nightshade family Wealthy Europeans, who dined on pewter plates, sometimes suffered lead poisoning after eating acidic foods like tomatoes, reinforcing the fear However, the French and Italians took a different approach. They found tomatoes alluring and called them pommes d’amour (love apples), believing they had aphrodisiac properties. Some say this was due to their heart-like shape, while others think it was just wishful thinking! The name stuck for a time, adding a little romance to the tomato’s reputation before science eventually proved they were perfectly safe, and delicious. Now you can find them in almost every shop and allotment in the country, regardless of the shape! You can even now grow heart shaped “Heat Breakers”, or buy moulds to shape regular tomatoes as they grow! #valentinesday #valentine #valentines #love #tomato #tomatoes #growyourown #growyourownfood