Nothing symbolizes the peak of the season like a juicy tomato. As ripe, lusty and full of possibility as a long summer day, it’s compelling in a variety of forms: shrouded in a delicate dressing, simmered with fresh herbs, gracefully scattered across a bed of greens. But the best way to enjoy a perfect tomato is in the buff–straight off the vine, with no accoutrements other than a dash of sea salt.

And while they're technically classified as a fruit, tomatoes are fast becoming one of our favorite vegetables, and for good reason: they’re low in fat and calories, high in fiber and nutrients. They’re prominently featured
in our favorite culinary traditions, from Mediterranean to Mexican. And the latest studies show that they can prevent cancer, protect our vision and keep our brains functioning well. No wonder they're hot!

Tomatoes weren't always so popular– early herbalists and botanists classified them as highly poisonous. The tomato is related to the deadly nightshade, and 15th century Renaissance botanists misclassified the tomato from early Greek and Roman texts. The mistake was carried on by 16th century English herbalists, who reportedly labeled the "deadly" tomato "a fruit of ranke and stinking savour." Around the same time, the Bourbons decreed the tomato a potent aphrodisiac, and banned it from culinary use for many years.

But in spite of these dire warnings, many cultures were consuming tomatoes without ill consequence long before the 1500s. Initially cultivated by the Aztecs and Incas as early as 700 A.D., tomatoes are native to the coastal highlands of western South America. They were used in popular dishes of the region, including one concoction of tomatoes and ground chili peppers that is perhaps the earliest version of salsa. When the Conquistadors brought tomato seeds from Mexico and Central America to Europe, tomatoes quickly found favor in Spain, Portugal and Italy. So rapid was their popularity in the Mediterranean countries that they were featured in an Italian cookbook as early as 1692.

Meanwhile, Northern Europeans and early colonists weren't so accepting. Thomas Jefferson reportedly cultivated tomatoes in 1809, but other early Americans weren't so easily won over, and the ill reputation of tomatoes persisted into the 19th century. Then, in 1830, Col. Robert Gibbon Johnson ate a tomato on the courthouse steps in Salem, New Jersey, and lived to tell the tale. Tomatoes caught on. Soon thereafter, the Creoles in New Orleans, scoffing at rumor, began using tomatoes in their rich, spicy gumbos and jambalayas. Northeastern cooks soon followed suit, combining fresh tomatoes with local seafoods in hearty stews and sauces. By the mid-1850s, the tomato had taken hold as a food to be reckoned with.

One Tomato,Two Tomatoes, More Tomatoes
It seems the more tomatoes we eat, the better off we are. The specific health benefits were first highlighted in 1995, when researchers at Harvard Medical School found that the risk of prostate cancer was a remarkable one-third lower in men who ate tomatoes. Numerous studies have shown that people who eat tomatoes and tomato products have a substantially decreased risk of cancers of the prostate, lung and stomach. Other studies have shown that tomatoes prevent macular degeneration and cataracts, common age-related diseases of the eyes, and help maintain mental function as we age.

Tomatoes appear to be one food that’s better cooked; it appears that heat allows more of the healing compounds in tomatoes to be made available to the body. And because lycopene is fat-soluble, eating tomatoes with oil can further boost its absorption and availability. In spite of compelling research, we haven't exactly jumped on the tomato bandwagon–most Americans report tomato intake mainly from pizza. If your current tomato repertoire consists of pasta sauces and salad toppings, incorporate them into most meals: add
sun-dried tomatoes to mashed potatoes; drizzle halved Roma tomatoes with olive oil, sprinkle with minced rosemary leaves, and roast; or saute halved cherry tomatoes with baby spinach leaves and sprinkle with crushed walnuts and chopped black
olives.

Tomato, Frisee and Goat Cheese Salad with Walnut-Sherry Vinaigrette
Serves 4
1 shallot, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons walnut oil
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced fresh basil
6 cups frisee, torn into bite-sized pieces
1 cup small yellow pear tomatoes
1 cup small red pear tomatoes
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
4 ounces Montrachet or other soft goat cheese

In a small bowl, whisk together shallots, mustard, vinegar, walnut oil, olive oil and basil. In a medium bowl, combine frisee, tomatoes and walnuts. Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat. Transfer to four individual serving plates and top with goat cheese. Serve immediately.

Tomatoes Stuffed with Guacamole and Corn
Serves 4
2 large, very ripe avocados, halved and pitted
1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon minced red onion
1 small Serrano chile, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons minced cilantro leaves
1 ear of fresh corn
4 ripe but firm tomatoes

Scoop the avocado flesh out of the shells. In a small bowl, mash avocados; stir in lime juice, onion, Serrano chile and cilantro. Remove corn kernels from cob, using a sharp knife, and add to guacamole. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

Slice the top off each tomato; using a small spoon, scoop out seeds and discard. Scoop out pulp. Chop tomato pulp and stir into avocado mixture. Stuff each tomato with avocado mixture and serve immediately.

Lisa Turner is a food writer, nutrition consultant and private chef. For more details, call 303-588-8523, e-mail Lisa at InspiredEating@aol.com or visit her website at www.InspiredEating.com.

You Say Tomato...
...or love apple, Moor's apple or stinking golden apple. Shrouded in mystery from its earliest culinary appearances, the tomato has known many names. The French called it "love apple," the Germans named it "apple of paradise." It has been dubbed "mala insana," meaning "unhealthy fruit," and "wolf peach," from its genus name Lycopersicon. Its reputation as a poisonous fruit was somewhat mitigated when Esculentum, which means edible, was designated its species name in the mid-1700s.

As if the confusion over names weren't enough, further debate has raged over whether the tomato is a fruit or vegetable. Botanically, tomatoes are classified as fruits--specialized reproductive structures that contain seeds. Seems simple enough, but heated deliberation has centered around the question. In 1887, the question went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court in Nix v. Hedden. Under the Tariff Act of 1883, if tomatoes were classified as a vegetable, they could be taxed when imported. The Courts chose common usage and utility over botanical accuracy and ruled on the side of American farmers, classifying the tomato as vegetable. Nearly 100 years later, in 1981, the Court's decision was echoed when the USDA officially classified ketchup a vegetable.