Cape gooseberries

Also known as physalis, this is a small, smooth round fruit wrapped in its own papery case that resembles a Chinese lantern. The fruit itself is a pretty orange-gold colour and can be unwrapped and eaten as is, or dipped in melted chocolate and served after dinner with coffee. They have a delicate sweet-sour taste - sort of a cross between a gooseberry and a cherry tomato. They make excellent jams, jellies and purées, and can be used in exotic fruit salads, pavlovas or roulades, or simmered in water with a little sugar and used in fruit pies or crumbles.