Cape Gooseberry: Royal Project
(Physalis peruviana)
Cape gooseberry is a Solanaceous plant related to tomatillo and chinese lantern. The plant is perennial in the tropics and grown as an annual in temperate climates Unripe fruits are green and develop a golden-orange hue when ready for consumption. When ripe, gooseberries should fall upon shaking the branches and will continue to ripen over the course of a few weeks. The size of ripe gooseberries varies considerably: Some large fruits become the size of a golf ball, while small ones only grow to the size of a marble. Look for fruits with a round, smooth exterior and glossy sheen.
Cape gooseberries look and taste like a sweet orange version of a cherry tomato. They have a paper-like sheath on the outside that should be removed before eating.