Spotlight: Husk Cherries

About

Husk cherries go by many names - ground cherries, golden strawberries, Chinese lanterns, and in French as the very charming Amour-en-Cage, or ‘caged love’, just to name a few. [source] We on the BMSP team were divided about whether they more resemble cherries or cherry tomatoes. They are often overlooked because of their parchment-like outer coating, despite their sweet and versatile flavor. "These little gems are in the same genus as tomatillos - hence the similar papery husk - and the same family as tomatoes. Ground cherries taste slightly sweet and tropical, with a texture that's somewhere between a tomato and a grape." [source]

"What tastes like a cherry tomato injected with mango and pineapple juice, and looks like an orange pearl encased in a miniature paper lantern? No, I'm not just trying to cram as many fruit references into one sentence as possible. It's a real plant: Physalis pruinosa, aka the 'ground cherry'." [source]

Health Benefits
Husk cherries are high in niacin (vitamin B3), and vitamins A and C. They also contain a lot of pectin, which (aside from meaning they'll make great jams) helps to regulate blood sugar.

Storage
Store husk cherries in their husks. Unlike a lot of berry-sized fruits, husk cherries will stay fresh for several weeks (if kept in the husks)... perhaps as long as three months if placed in a mesh bag and kept in a cool place (50°F). [source] We recommend, however, that you eat them as soon as you can or within 1-2 weeks.

"Their mild, sweet/tart/acidic flavor profile makes them complementary to both sweet and savory cooking... I’ve heard their taste described alternatively as: pineapple, melon, tomato, and caramel." [source]

Preparation
Preparing these gems is easy - just take off the papery husk and you are good to go! You can devour them raw right then or wait to serve them raw in salads or baked in tarts.

Recipes:

• Omnomnom... gobble them up raw!
• Bake them, alone or with other fruits:
• Plum and Husk Cherry Tart
• Husk Cherry Pastries
• Husk Cherry Pie
• They're great in salads:
• Tomato Husk Cherry Salad
• Husk Cherry Goat Cheese Salad
• Husk Cherry Waldorf Salad
• Eat them on toast or in sandwiches
• As jam or fruit compote
• As salsa! (maybe with the jalapeños from two weeks ago)
• Salsa Verde
• Husk Cherry Salsa 1
• Husk Cherry Salsa 2
• Or for a great snack, try Dried Sugar and Cinnamon Ground Cherries
• Husk Cherries Three Ways
• Five Ways to Eat Husk Cherries
• Four Ways to Eat Husk Cherries

Any Suggestions?
Do you have a husk cherry recipe you love? Send it to us! Email us at info@brownmarketshares.com and let us know what you did with your husk cherries (and the rest of your share) this week.