The reason eastern NC is vinegar based and Piedmont NC is tomato goes back to geography. NC didn't develop in an east to west progression as was typical. We had shallow ports, shallow sounds and irregular coastline so most came here after first living in other colonies, sound region by Virginians looking for good soil and S Carolinians to Cape Fear looking for cheap / free land. Back then they believed tomatoes to be poisonous. By the time German and Scot-Irish from NJ and Pennsylvania started coming down the Great Wagon Road in mid 18th century and populating the Piedmont everyone knew tomatoes were edible and they used it as a sauce base. Coastal and Piedmont regions had little contact since roads and bridges were almost nonexistent and Piedmont rivers flowed south not east.