@matt "It took three centuries after their introduction in Europe for tomatoes to become a widely accepted food item. … Physicians in the 16th century had good reason to suspect that this native Mexican fruit was poisonous [as a member of the nightshade family]"

…

"However, in 1592 the head gardener at the botanical garden of Aranjuez near Madrid, under the patronage of Philip II of Spain, wrote, 'it is said [tomatoes] are good for sauces'."

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbian_exchange#Tomatoes