Ground cherries, anyone grow them?

[kaplods]

I bought some ground cherries at the farmer's market. They look like tiny little tomatillos or little yellow grapes wrapped in beige papery chinese lantern husks.

Online people described them as tasting like tomato-pineapple, strawberry, or butter but I thought they tasted a little like a fruit version of white cake. (almost no flavor, except sweetness and a hint of butter/vanilla with a cherry tomato like "burst" of tiny seeds and fruit in your mouth)

I read that they grow pretty much anywhere tomatoes do, anyone grow these? We live in an apartment, but I bet FIL would grow some for me next year, if I asked.

[olivia627]

So they taste pretty good? I've never heard of them, but I think I've seen them in the market, if memory serves me right. I'm on a gardening kick, so I might try them as well, if they taste good!

[kaplods]

You might want to start with just one plant, as husband doesn't care for them (though he doesn't enjoy many fruits beyond apple, pear, asian pear, pineapple, and the occasional orange).

In Pennsylvania they would be fine, because they die off in frost, and have to be replanted every year, but I was reading that in the south they are usually considered a weed and somewhat of a garden pest.

I thought they were good. They were very lightly flavored, so I'm not sure how often I will buy them at $2.00 a pint, but they were fun to eat (like unwrapping candy), and had a really nice texture. I think all the unwrapping was portion control for me (that and the fact that they were $2 a pint), so I'd only eat about 10 at a time. It was also funny how to me they tasted like white cake, as almost every one I ate, I kept thinking "is this in my imagination or do they really taste like white cake). When one website mentioned that they had a "buttery" like taste, I made the connection between a butter-vanilla taste. They're not creamy though, but juicy with a texture like a tiny tomato (but much smaller seeds and no "slime" or a watery slightly gritty grape.

Supposedly they make great jam (kind of counteracts some of the healthiness though).

[olivia627]

Hmmm, you've peaked my curiosity! I'll seek them out, if I can find them and will give them a try. I can imagine how taking time to unwrap them could help with portion control! I like trying unusual foods, so I'll let you know if I can find and try some!

[mauvaisroux]

I love ground cherries! They are so unsual and have an nice/interesting flavour to them.

This might be of some help :

http://www.reimerseeds.com/ground-cherry_515.aspx

[olivia627]

Originally Posted by mauvaisroux

This might be of some help :

http://www.reimerseeds.com/ground-cherry_515.aspx

So THAT'S what they look like!! Okay, I've never seen anything like that before! But come Spring, I will be planting some! Thanks for the link.

[mauvaisroux]

Your welcome