Ground cherries have been called many things (cape gooseberries, husk tomatoes, golden berries and strawberry tomatoes) and there are even more descriptions of their flavor than names.  They have been described as a super sweet cherry tomato, or perhaps a slightly tropical flavor like pineapple, or maybe melon, or even strawberry, fig or mango.  Very ripe ground cherries have even been likened to caramel or vanilla.  Naturalist Euell Gibbons concluded that the flavor of the ground cherry is “so good it doesn’t have to resemble something else.” 

Because of their very unique flavor the ground cherry is extremely versatile.   They are delicious eaten fresh out of their papery husks, but that is just the beginning.  They are often added to salads or salsa, stirred into muffins or baked into pies.  They contain pectin and make delicious jam.  They can be dried and eaten like raisins or the ultimate – fresh berries dipped in chocolate.

Ground cherries also have many health benefits.  They are high in phosphorous, calcium, and vitamins A, C, B1, B2, and B6 as well as being extremely high in protein for a fruit.  

Dr. Oz, the well-known TV personality,  named ground cherries as one of his three ‘breakthrough belly blasters’ to help burn fat and aid in weight loss.   I don't think he was referring to those dipped in chocolate, unfortunately.

Ground Cherry Pie

4 cups ground cherries 
Juice of 1 large lemon
2 Tbsp butter
dash of salt

½-¾ cup sugar
2 tsp quick cooking tapioca ¼ cup flour

       Mix ingredients and allow to stand for 20 minutes.  Bake in a 9 inch double crust pie.  Bake at 400° for 
10 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350° for an addition 40-45 minutes.

Ground Cherry Crumb Topped Pie

Filling:
3 cups ground cherries
1/3 to ½ cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp water

Topping:
3 Tbsp flour
3 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp butter

Piecrust for single crust 9 inch pie

        Place cherries in unbaked crust.  Mix brown sugar and 1 Tbsp flour and sprinkle over cherries.   
Mix remaining flour and sugar, cut in butter until crumbly. Top cherry mixture with crumbs.  Bake at 
425° for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 375° and bake another 25 minutes.

Ground Cherry-Pineapple Crumble

3 cups ground cherries, halved
3 cups fresh pineapple chunks
½ cup sugar

½ cup blanched almonds
¼ cup unsalted butter
¼ cup flour
½ cup brown sugar

        Combine ground cherries and pineapple  with the cup sugar and spread in a 9 x 9 inch pan.
        In a food processor, pulse ½ cup blanched almonds until coarsely chopped.  Add flour, butter and brown sugar and pulse until crumbly. Spread over fruit.  
        Bake at 375°F or 30 to 40 minutes, or until bubbling and golden. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                  http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/ground-cherries?page=0,1    

And of course, simple but tasty, just melt some chocolate and dip them in it.

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