In a week where the continent has been revelling in Latino spirit — thanks to a certain Puerto Rican’s halftime concert at the Super Bowl who performed in Buenos Aires last weekend — the Americas may be at their most united. 

The timing to talk up a prized Latin American ingredient, hence, is just right. The origins of Solanum lycopersicum, the juicy staple that brightens up salads and is a sauce base must, is South American, and mid-summer is the moment to put the thousands of varieties at the heart of the conversation. 

While the Italians cleverly made passata di pomodoro their own on the world stage, tomatoes actually originated in the Andes, in Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Ecuador. The small round berries were domesticated by the Aztec and Mayan civilisations in Mexico, then introduced in Europe by returning Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century. 

Back to 2026, and I attended the fourth Festival ¡Del Tomate!, organised by Dr. Maria Sance at Casa Vigil in Chachingo, Mendoza. In the winemaking province, the village of Chachingo is used as a kind of insult to say ‘arse end of nowhere’, but thanks to the food scientist’s efforts, it has become the epicenter of fruity festivities.

In this most recent edition, the educational congress had been upgraded to Hilton status, but Dr. Sance reminded me of the first one I went to, held in her quincho four years ago. Using tomatoes as the hook, her Proyecto Labrar educates Mendoza smallholders on tomatoes’ and their seeds’ worth (as well as their........

© Buenos Aires Herald