Striped Tomatoes

[scousejones]

I was given a few seeds for these, but I had never heard of them before. However, I now have 3 plants bearing quite a lot of fruit, each fruit enclosed in a sort of Chnese Lantern, for want of a better description. I have no idea when they will be ripe, what they taste like, or indeed, to what I can look forward at all. Can any kind person enlighten me. Thanks!

[Hawkwalk]

A striped tomato will not normally be in a sort of chinese latern. Are you sure it is a tomato and not a physalis? I dont eat tomatoes so cant say what they taste like but I hear they are a bit tangy. Look here for what a ripe one looks like.

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http: //www.theherbcottage.com/Plant_Pics_Veg/Tomato es/tigerella.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.theherbc ottage.com/vegetables.html&h=93&w=100&sz=4&hl= en&start=0&um=1&tbnid=-Ef-dPy8vSxEoM:&tbnh=76& tbnw=82&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtigerella%2Btomato% 26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den

[scousejones]

Thank you very much Hawkwalk! It seems to me that the Tigerella: Mr. Stripey tomato fits the bill exactly, and from the descriptio n, I will really be looking forward to enjoying them in my salads which are my favourite dish.

[Kleiber]

It could be that they're tomatillos. I grew some last year, as well as tigrella tomatoes. You can use them much as you would tomatoes & they make a great chutney. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall uses them in his River Cottage Chutney recipe, from The River Cottage Cookbook.