Cape Gooseberries

[ysabetwordsmith]

We discovered a new fruit today at Harvest Market: Cape Gooseberries.  These are small yellow berries about the size of a cherry, with a sweet-tart tropical flavor and a floral aroma.  They taste kind of like a mango or apricot with notes of orange and persimmon.  Apparently they have health benefits.  I had no idea; I bought some because they smelled good.  This page has some recipe links.

Comments

[fred_mouse]

They grow self-seeded here. I've had a few good harvests -- enough to dry fruit and make jam, but this last year they didn't ripen to full sweetness.

Well ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

Now I'm just envious.

Re: Well ...

[fred_mouse]

What I miss are a whole lot of berries we got last we were in Alberta. I love Saskatoons so much I very nearly broke quarantine rules to try and get some seeds home.

Re: Well ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

Look for saskatoons or serviceberries in catalogs. So far I've gotten one tree to fruit. The birds eat most of the berries, but I've snagged enough to know I like them.

Re: Well ...

[fred_mouse]

I'm on a wishlist notification from the one mob likely to get it, but they are in Queensland, and getting things into WA can be tricky. And expensive.

[cmcmck]

You're late to the party! :o)

I know them as phsyalis and they are wonderful!

[pantha]

Weird. They always taste reminiscent of cherry tomatoes to me. Hence, I dislike them. XD

Wow!

[ysabetwordsmith]

These taste nothing like tomatoes to me. I'm not a fan of raw tomatoes. I bought them because they smelled strongly of tropical fruit, and taste the same. I would expect tomato-flavored ones to smell like tomatoes -- or tomatillos, since these are closely related.