Sun-dried organic tomatoes Tomato is not actually a vegetable but is considered a berry and originates from Peru in South America. The tomato came to the Nordic countries in the 1600th century, but it was only towards the end of the 1700th century that it became widely known. Many people in Europe then believed that the tomato was poisonous and it was believed to be an aphrodisiac and was called, among other things, pomme d'amour (French for "love apple").