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Ground cherries also are known as husk tomatoes, and are a smaller, more flavorful cousin of the tomatillo (Physalis ixocarpa) used in Mexican salsa verde.
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They're also related to the Hawaiian poha (Physalis peru viana).
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They like the same conditions as tomatoes, and thus will do best in the portions of the Bay Area that stay warmest at night.
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However, if you can grow tomatoes, you can grow ground cherries, and they're worth a try.
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They always pull their disappearing act if grown among other plants.
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They like to drape their long trailing branches over their neighbors' leaves, and run down among long grasses.
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Only becoming visible when the other plants die back late in the year They set fruit sparingly until mid- season, when they finally produce large clusters of fruit that develop inside greenish husks.
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These dry when ripe to a lacy brown paper.
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The fruits are green and unpalatable until ripe, when they turn a rich golden yellowish brown.
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Small But Sweet: The fruits are the size of blueberries, and are intensely sweet with a low acid finish.
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They're surprisingly savory and good for preserves, although I prefer them in a once-every-five-years version of ground cherry pie.
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Plant the seeds in the spring in an out-of-the-way part of the garden and make sure the area is not allowed to undergo severe water stress.
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Directions: Gently mix together ground cherries, sugar, tapioca, flour and lemon juice.
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Let stand for 15 minutes while you line a 9-inch pie pan with half of the pastry.
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Preheat the oven to 450 F. Turn the fruit, mixture into the pastry- lined pan, and dot the top with the butter.
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Cover with a well-pricked top crust or lattice work of dough.
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Bake at 450F for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350F (180C) and bake for another 40 minutes, or until golden brown.
