# Does Middle Eastern cuisine use a lot of tomatoes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [February 20, 2026, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-middle-eastern-cuisine-use-a-lot-of-tomatoes/1027853 "2026-02-20T17:16:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2026, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-middle-eastern-cuisine-use-a-lot-of-tomatoes/1027853/21 "2026-02-21T15:44:58Z")
Half the pizza places around here are run by Iranians. Welcome to America. ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2026, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-middle-eastern-cuisine-use-a-lot-of-tomatoes/1027853/22 "2026-02-21T20:37:06Z")
I’m not quite going to flag that for moderation but it does seem a bit off? I like to discover culinary traditions that I hadn’t previously known about. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2026, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-middle-eastern-cuisine-use-a-lot-of-tomatoes/1027853/23 "2026-02-21T22:01:16Z")
That’s because they were invented here - or more accurately, the first modern strains of commercially viable cherry tomatoes were developed in Israel, in the 1970s. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2026, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-middle-eastern-cuisine-use-a-lot-of-tomatoes/1027853/24 "2026-02-21T22:04:23Z")
I’m not sure what makes a tomato commercially viable, but if you just let tomato plants grow and reproduce on their own, cherry tomatoes are what you end up with. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2026, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-middle-eastern-cuisine-use-a-lot-of-tomatoes/1027853/25 "2026-02-21T22:15:19Z")
I don’t know much about botany, but I’m pretty sure that the cherry tomatoes you can buy at the market were specifically cultivated to grow that way. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2026, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-middle-eastern-cuisine-use-a-lot-of-tomatoes/1027853/26 "2026-02-21T22:22:09Z")
I eat a tomato every day, mostly in a salad. ---
**Author:** ![Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mundane_super_hero/32/6304_2.png) [@Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mundane_Super_Hero)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2026, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-middle-eastern-cuisine-use-a-lot-of-tomatoes/1027853/27 "2026-02-21T23:08:43Z")
… and they are good. Also, if you add some hot sauce onto half sliced cherry tomatoes, they are really good. Also, although most people already know this, a half sliced cherry tomato… speared into a fork with a small slice of Mozz…is also very good. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2026, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-middle-eastern-cuisine-use-a-lot-of-tomatoes/1027853/28 "2026-02-21T23:13:26Z")
And a cherry tomato Caprese salad with balsamic vinegar and Buratta cheese is heaven. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-middle-eastern-cuisine-use-a-lot-of-tomatoes/1027853/29 "2026-02-22T00:22:29Z")
Cherry tomatoes are indeterminate, while something like a Roma or Early Girl is determinate, I thought. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-middle-eastern-cuisine-use-a-lot-of-tomatoes/1027853/30 "2026-02-22T01:07:33Z")
How important, culturally, are the breakfast dishes _shakshouka_ (N Africa, Middle East) and _mememen_ (Turkey)? Both dishes are variations on poached eggs in tomato sauce. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-middle-eastern-cuisine-use-a-lot-of-tomatoes/1027853/31 "2026-02-22T03:41:52Z")
> [@susan](#): > > Cherry tomatoes are indeterminat What does this mean? Cherry tomatoes are a distinct variant of the tomato species, _Solanum lycopersicum_ var. _cerasiforme_. They have named cultivars, every bit as much as full-sized tomatoes. > **[Cherry tomato | Cultivars](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherry_tomato#Cultivars)** > > Many cherry tomato varieties maintain close genetic relationships to ancestral small-fruited types: > 1.Matt's Wild Cherry - A variety that closely resembles wild tomato species, with very small red fruits | > 2.Red Currant - Extremely small fruits, similar to wild S. pimpinellifolium | > 3.Yellow Currant - Small yellow fruits on vigorous indeterminate plants Contemporary commercial cherry tomatoes are often products of modern plant breeding, selected for specific traits: > 1.Super Sweet 100 - A popu... ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-middle-eastern-cuisine-use-a-lot-of-tomatoes/1027853/32 "2026-02-22T05:03:10Z")
“Indeterminate” means the vine keeps growing. Most cherry tomatoes are indeterminate, while most bush varieties stop growing. I don’t think bush tomatoes grown from seed become cherry tomatoes. I could be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-middle-eastern-cuisine-use-a-lot-of-tomatoes/1027853/33 "2026-02-22T07:28:05Z")
> [@xtenkfarpl](#): > > I’m not quite going to flag that for moderation but it does seem a bit off? What are you talking about? I was pointing out that it’s an unwarranted assumption (in the US or wherever this Walmart is) that Middle Eastern men only make Middle Eastern food. ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-middle-eastern-cuisine-use-a-lot-of-tomatoes/1027853/34 "2026-02-22T18:34:45Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > I was pointing out that it’s an unwarranted assumption (in the US or wherever this Walmart is) that Middle Eastern men only make Middle Eastern food. Oh, I must apologise. I had completely misread the post as a complaint about immigrants taking jobs from americans. Context is tricky. In my defence, the ‘Welcome to America’ phrase was perhaps a little unfortunate? ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-middle-eastern-cuisine-use-a-lot-of-tomatoes/1027853/35 "2026-02-22T19:18:46Z")
“Welcome to America” just means that immigrants to this country have never had to limit themselves to the culture they bring with them. ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-middle-eastern-cuisine-use-a-lot-of-tomatoes/1027853/36 "2026-02-22T19:23:14Z")
Fair enough. But in some contexts it could be taken as a sarcastic remark? No need to beat this to death. Let’s move on. Peace. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-middle-eastern-cuisine-use-a-lot-of-tomatoes/1027853/37 "2026-02-22T19:29:42Z")
YOU are the one who saw sarcasm. Maybe next time ask for clarification before making an extremely hurtful accusation. Sorry if I am making too much of this but in my 27 years on the board I have fervently decried immigrant scapegoating. I’m married to one. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-middle-eastern-cuisine-use-a-lot-of-tomatoes/1027853/38 "2026-02-22T19:38:51Z")
[Moderating] And with that, it looks like the misunderstanding is resolved, so let’s move on, shall we? ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-middle-eastern-cuisine-use-a-lot-of-tomatoes/1027853/39 "2026-02-22T19:40:06Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Maybe next time ask for clarification before making an extremely hurtful accusation I have apologized. I do think your wording could have left room for misinterpretation, though it was accidental. Let us drop this now. Please. I am not going to respond further. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-middle-eastern-cuisine-use-a-lot-of-tomatoes/1027853/40 "2026-02-22T20:06:33Z")
All varieties of tomatoes were selected to grow the way they grow… cultivation can impact yield and the crop quality, but it doesn’t change the type. There are very old Mexican tomato varieties which would definitely be classed as cherry tomatoes- even my 1970 published UK gardening book lists some cherry varieties among their recommendations, though they describe them as ‘marble size’ instead of cherry. The major development allowing commercial production was the plant size and the yield per plant- older cherry varieties were often small, compact plants; nice for a hanging basket or a pot on the patio, rubbish for growing on a large scale. People who had space generally grew bigger, more productive plants. The tomatoes that appear to be the closest to the ancestral type are actually tiny- sometimes known as currant tomatoes, because they’re the size of a currant, maybe 5mm diameter, but tomatoes have been selected for loads of different sizes over the millennia they’ve been grown in Mexico- in fact the diversity of Mexican traditional tomatoes is huge compared to what’s commercially produced, as most selections were actually made from those which went to Europe. Sadly, the more popular commercial cultivars are more financially profitable \*, so a lot of this diversity is being lost. I happen to know a Mexican plant scientist who’s trying to run a project to reverse the decline… \*at least initially.. unfortunately the home of tomato diversity is also the home of tomato disease diversity, so switching from a traditional mixed crop to a monoculture of the most popular commercial variety also increases the risk of a complete crop loss and the problem is getting worse. > [@susan](#): > > “Indeterminate” means the vine keeps growing. Most cherry tomatoes are indeterminate, while most bush varieties stop growing. I don’t think bush tomatoes grown from seed become cherry tomatoes. I could be wrong. Umm, bush varieties stop growing by definition… that’s why they’re bush type 😉 There’s actually no real connection between cherry tomatoes being vine type and larger tomatoes being bush types though, except that more recent breeding has tended to focus on indeterminate varieties, because these are better for commercial production (meaning that’s where the research money is), and the widely available cherry types are also often quite recent, while there are more older types available for larger fruit. There are plenty of large tomatoes that are vining indeterminate types, and also bush cherry types. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-middle-eastern-cuisine-use-a-lot-of-tomatoes/1027853.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-middle-eastern-cuisine-use-a-lot-of-tomatoes/1027853.md?page=3)