The first time we saw a Cape gooseberry, it was on someone's blog, and it looked like a perfect yellow egg yolk encased in paper leaves. We really thought someone took a photo of an egg yolk. It wasn't, of course - it was a Cape gooseberry.
Cape gooseberries are native to South America, and they're closely related to the tomatilla - which makes sense, since they look like tiny tomatillas, swaddled in tissue leaves. We were surprised how small they are, though - click through for a photo of one up close.
We still hadn't seen any in person until last week, at the market. We're ever on the lookout for new and exciting fruits and vegetables, and our shopping companion was slightly nonplussed by how enthusiastic we were over these little berries.
The Cape gooseberry, or ground-cherry, is most widely cultivated in South Africa and Australia and New Zealand, where it's commonly made into jams and pies. They make beautiful garnishes. The papery covering can be peeled back into tissue-thin flower petals that stand out around the berry like a crown. We love them as a fall garnish especially; the pod looks like fall leaves.
If you find Cape gooseberries, choose good-sized berries. They should be about the size of a marble or large pea. Smaller ones may be shriveled. They should look golden through the papery covering, and firm.
And their taste? They are not very sweet; they have a ripe, earthy taste that does indeed remind us just a little of a tomato. They are full of tiny seeds that are barely noticeable. They are different, with a richer, more mellow flavor than most grapes and berries.
Also called a Husk Cherry - just saw some at the Union Square market this afternoon.
view Sara Kate's profile
Funny, I saw husk cherries at Union Square last week and when I asked if they were the same thing as cape gooseberries, the woman at the stand told me they are not. Now I'm confused. :)
view jenblossom's profile
jenblossom, the woman at the stand was mistaken.
at least, according to everything I've read online after meeting these fruits last year. Also called "ground cherries"
Regular gooseberries are different tho.
I think they are a little pineapple-y, and work great for a mildly sweet tart note in an israeli couscous salad, along with herbs like tarragon and parsley.
They are still at Union Sq? yeah!
view guido's profile
Ground cherries are grown with glee by the (PA Dutch) citizens of South Central PA & Lancaster County. They grow easily from seeds just tossed on the ground. We would just eat them off the vine, but my grandmother would make jam or pie with them.
At a B&B in Montreal we got them atop a yogurt and granola mix, with maple syrup.
view Pipsqueak's profile
Wow, now I want to try these...wonder if I'll find them anywhere around Chicago's north side, though.
view Jim of ChewOnThat's profile
Jim, I see them all the time at the local farmers' market and I'm in WI. There should be some in Chicago, for sure.
view bubble's profile
guido--there's also a very small variety of cherry tomato that tastes pineappley. Just to confuse things further! (I can't seem to remember the variety's name, though.)
I haven't yet found the one terrific dish to make with the little beauties. Just fresh with a dollop of creme fraiche for dipping is yum, and a tart with pastry cream topped with ground berries is, too, but what is that One Great Dish for them?
view Aulaire's profile
My grandmother grew them in Minnesota. She made them into sauce and jam.
view Jeanne's profile
In Italy they are sold chocolate covered in confectionery shops (=pasticcerie), in Italian they are called 'alchechengi', like the more common 'Chinese Lantern' (Physalis alkekengi). The 'Cape gooseberry' scientific name is instead Physalis peruviana (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physalis_peruviana)
view plch's profile
these are sold all over Germany, and the most delicious recipe I've tasted is Ramps (wild garlic) pesto over pasta with quartered "cape gooseberries" mixed in. They are also a great accent to bitter salads, like endive or arugula. mmmm.
also, the flowers are BEAUTIFUL before they go to fruit. They are called "Lampion" flowers in German because they look like lanterns! Check them out here: in this picture
view american wolpertinger's profile