Husked Tomato

My Husked Tomato plant

I first became acquainted with Husked Tomatoes last year at Wilmington's Tomadah Paradah event.  The plants are more low growing and shrub-like than your ordinary tomato and the fruits are surrounded by husks such as those you would find on a tomatillo.  

According to Trade Wind Fruits they are, 

"Small orange fruit similar in size and shape to a cherry tomato. The fruit is covered in papery husk. Flavor is a pleasant, unique tomato /pineapple like blend. The ground cherry is very similar to the cape gooseberry, both having similar, but unique flavors."

I would definitely agree that they have a unique flavor I wouldn't have said pineapple but reading it that's not a completely inaccurate description.  

The fruit

In the above picture you can see the husks that form around the fruit.   The fruit are quite a bit smaller than a normal cherry tomato would be (even smaller than most grape tomatoes I think) and are meant to be eaten after they fall from the plant (at least that's what I've been told).  But upon seeing them while at Swindler & Sons Florist in Wilmington I decided to try growing one for myself.  It seems to grow fairly well in its pot although I haven't gotten enough fruit to do much more than eat one or two as I am walking by.  The plant I had seen previously was so big and expansive that it was a chore to lift up the branches and find the fruit underneath so I think this is probably a good solution to that problem, although I will never have enough to make jam...which I think would be quite an interesting flavor. 

What do you think?  Has anyone else been growing any unusual varieties of tomatoes this year?