Italian cuisine is one of the oldest in the world. Some of the dishes around today, such as polenta, are almost exact copies of meals prepared for Roman soldiers about 2000 years ago. Tomatoes – pomodori or 'apples of gold' – were originally brought from the mericas by European explorers. Italy’s climate was found to be suitable for growing them quickly and cheaply, so they became a common ingredient of everyday meals cooked by Italians.