Ten Tomatoes that Changed the World is presented as both history and investigation, and it’s got a lot of both. It’s pretty readable for non-fiction based in science, but the biggest thing it’s got going for it is a lot of interesting facts that don’t necessarily always go together. There’s some tension in the narration and story-telling, and the factual reporting, but overall it’s a pretty decent read. No wonder I have to give it back to the library without a renewal (someone’s already put in a request). That makes it hard to do a good in-depth review, so here is the list form version that I have time for.
General things that got my attention:
History includes lots of heresy (mostly recognized and investigated insofar as is possible)
Not much consistent connection between episodes
Still interesting culinary history that connects to other things (like politics, business)
Familiar names: Campbell’s, Heinz, Boyardee, Trump (but not all expected)
15 foot tall plants not uncommon until Oved Shifriss (1949)
A Florida tomato that exceeds the minimum impact of a car bumper (in 1977) by 2 ½ times the minimum margin
Extended reference to original Attack of the Killer Tomatoes 1978 movie (and cartoon and 3 sequels); real example of corporate killer tomato (GMO involved)
The title is also slightly misleading; the book is really about 10 concepts or settings that demonstrate a major trend shift.
Here’s a general outline and some of the more quotable or style-demo-ing bits:
Prologue: Hernando Cortes (immigration, colonization, invention are reoccurring themes from the get-go)
1-Italy (medieval – 17th century):
“Unhealthy, smelly, and strange: It’s really no mystery why tomatoes were not an easy sell in renaissance Europe.”
2-19th c US:
A tomato gets put on trial and “the colonel…eats the defendant!”
3-Branding and canning
“You have a problem in the United States.” “No kidding.” “No, I mean with tomatoes. Most of your San Marzanos are fake.”
4-Pizza (Italy again, at least at first):
“Pizza originated in Naples in part because that’s where the tomatoes were. Chain pizza originated in Kansas in part because that’s where the students were.”
5-Ketchup (and canning again): “a penniless pickle peddler from Pittsburgh purifies ketchup”
6-Italy 20th c. and internationalization:
In reference to an origin story for chicken tikka masala: “the city is London, and the soup, undiluted and straight from the can, is –thank you gods of writing- Campbell’s.”
7-Breeding: “hybridization was OKCupid, a targeted match based on specific criteria. But during Livingston’s lifetime, Cupid’s quiver remained empty.”
8-Tastelessness: “It feels like a live-action game of Clue, but instead of Colonel Mustard and Mrs. Peacock, our suspects are: The CEO, The Farmer, The Breeder (all named with reason for potential guilt in the murder of tomato flavor in the crime known as the “Florida tomato”).
9-GMOs and Heirlooms: the Seed Savers Exchange and “a star heirloom takes on a half century of tomato mediocrity”
10-Greenhouses: the final (of quite a few) references to suitcases and briefcases full of tomato or tomato seeds.
