Do tomatoes go in the fruit, or the vegetable section?

[zigs]

My bing says it's been a fruit since 1947, only in America though

Interestingly enough, legally rhubarb is considered a fruit. In 1947 the U.S. Customs Court in Buffalo, New York ruled that rhubarb should be considered a fruit since it is used typically as a fruit would be. This ruling was a way for businesses to pay less tax on imported rhubarb since the tax rate for vegetables was higher than that for fruit.

 

[CanadianLori]

Hi Zigs,
Someone here reiterated the "I read it on the internet therefore it is true" maxim - hmmm, I also read that I can find the fountain of use through hefty credit card use at various sites...

Here are two links to highly respectable US University agricultural department definitions in regards to rhubarb stating that it is a vegetable.

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/vegetables/rhubarb.html

http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/rhubarb_fruit_or_vegetable

There are of course many more educational facilities who concur.

I would trust these institutions far more than any other "googled" source.. just MHO

I too think of it as fruit and vice versa for tomatoes simply because of how they are used but like many others have already stated - the botanical category clearly states otherwise

 

[zigs]

Hi Lori,

I'm starting to think it might be a musical instrument

Rhubarb Triangle

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Lori is a Canadian.

 

[Beth_B]

Lori is a Canadian.

Yes but she provided links from US sources. So I don't see what her country of origin matters? I don't think actual science changes from country to country.

Out of curiousity, and I am in the US, I just googled "rhubarb fruit or vegetable." Here's my result.

https://www.google.com/search?client=ms-android-metropcs-us&ei=aPfmV_7nLcf4jwTemISYCg&q=rhubarb+fruit+or+vegetable&oq=rhubarb+fruit+&gs_l=mobile-gws-serp.1.0.0l5.2614.9919.0.11504.14.12.2.4.4.0.448.3219.0j2j5j1j3.11.0.foo,bruas=1,brua=1...0...1c.1j4.64.mobile-gws-serp..1.10.1730...0i67k1j0i20k1.tP348YPA2Nk

Consensus: vegetable.
What search term did you use, and what authoritative links did you click on to conclude its a fruit? Can you share those links?
(Disclaimer...I would have said fruit off the top of my head, because crumble, pie and jam are what I associate with fruit and therefore rhubarb. But after reading up on it I see I would have been incorrect. Taxonomicically speaking, I guess its a veggie. Like celery or carrots.)

 

[CanadianLori]

Yes but she provided links from US sources. So I don't see what her country of origin matters? I don't think actual science changes from country to country.

Out of curiousity, and I am in the US, I just googled "rhubarb fruit or vegetable." Here's my result.

https://www.google.com/search?client=ms-android-metropcs-us&ei=aPfmV_7nLcf4jwTemISYCg&q=rhubarb+fruit+or+vegetable&oq=rhubarb+fruit+&gs_l=mobile-gws-serp.1.0.0l5.2614.9919.0.11504.14.12.2.4.4.0.448.3219.0j2j5j1j3.11.0.foo,bruas=1,brua=1...0...1c.1j4.64.mobile-gws-serp..1.10.1730...0i67k1j0i20k1.tP348YPA2Nk

Consensus: vegetable.
What search term did you use, and what authoritative links did you click on to conclude its a fruit? Can you share those links?
(Disclaimer...I would have said fruit off the top of my head, because crumble, pie and jam are what I associate with fruit and therefore rhubarb. But after reading up on it I see I would have been incorrect. Taxonomicically speaking, I guess its a veggie. Like celery or carrots.)

So right!

A good friend of mine has told me a number of times about how gòod her Mom's tomato jam was and I suppose a sourish rhubarb compote would be tasty with chops.. now I'm getting hungry

 

[Esther Knapicius]

It was just in jest of humor regarding Zig picking American's as thinking it is a fruit not a vegs. Nothing serious.

 

[Beth_B]

Tomato jam. Now just you stop it!
A friend made and canned some a couple of years ago. Holy schmidt was that good with pork chops.

Now I'm thinking I want to grow rhubarb. It does well here, and it is fairly decorative as well.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Whenever you're unsure about vegetable vs. fruit, remember this: Vegetables are parts of the plant, while fruits are produced by the plant once flowers are fertilized.


It's important to know the difference, but I think we all typically generalize the foods we grow as vegetables.

 

[Beth_B]

It was just in jest of humor regarding Zig picking American's as thinking it is a fruit not a vegs. Nothing serious.

That was a real knee-slapper, all right. Hysterical!
._.

 

[CanadianLori]

It was just in jest of humor regarding Zig picking American's as thinking it is a fruit not a vegs. Nothing serious.

I was deeply offended. There is nothing remotely funny about your comment.

I have met many graciuos people on your side of the border....... @Beth_B you are a wonderful ambassador for your country. I am data streaming a hug

 

[Beth_B]

((hug)) back atcha @CanadianLori .

 

[MaryMary]

Am I the only one confused that there's a fierce debate going on because @Esther Knapicius and @zigs are agreeing with each other that rhubarb IS a vegetable?

Zigs posted he thinks Americans think it's a fruit. Esther provided a link saying it IS a vegetable. (Apparently she was not hanging out with New York lawyers, or tax evaders, in the late 40s.)

Zigs posts a link agreeing that it IS a vegetable, but (in America,) it was declared a fruit almost 70 years ago, because people would rather pay lawyers than taxes.

@CanadianLori then posts two more links, that agree with Esther and zigs that it IS a vegetable. She also posts, "There are of course many more educational facilities who concur." She states that she thinks of it as a fruit.

So, to recap, we have 2 forum members stating it IS a vegetable. We now have 4 links proving that it IS a vegetable.

@Beth_B posts another link stating it IS a vegetable, but she would have said it was a fruit.

At some point, you're just going to have to agree to agree. Don't make me go find yet another link stating it is a vegetable!! I'll do it, you know!!

I think the brevity of Esther's post (and the lack of smilies to show she was joking) is where things went awry.




Esther, forgive me if I am presuming, but what I think she was trying to say is:


Just cuz the cat had kittens in the oven
... that don't mean we call 'em biscuits!

 

[zigs]

Nice one Mary

That's the way the rhubarb crumbles

 

[MaryMary]

Nice one Mary

After all this preamble, it's not a revolutionary idea that, We the People of the United States, will write all kinds of declarations because we don't want to pay taxes.





Edited to say: I am sorry, it was a golden opportunity, and I just couldn't stop myself.
I love a pun, good or bad.