The tomato is more than just a fruit. It is a food generating great economic wealth and major controversy among the countries that farm, process, exchange and consume it. It is a crop infused with national pride and passion for those who grow it, and a symbol of Old World nostalgia for those who believe they own its history and legacy. In this history, the author recounts the surprising rise of the tomato from its New World origins to its Old World status and present significance.