As good as cherries?

All my life I've loved cherries. Cherry anything. Waiting for fresh cherries each year was a trial. Not having the place for my own tree (past the one in yard of my childhood) was punishment. Then a few years ago I saw ground cherries listed in a seed catalogue.

They couldn't be as good as cherries, but then I still didn't have room for a tree. Or the patience to wait for one to grow even if I had the room.

This year I decided to try them. The plant is in a bit of an inopportune place, thanks to an error in judgment on my part and an amazing growing season. It is shaded a bit by towering tomatoes yet it is bushing out and set lots of cherries. They look strangely like tomatillos as they grow on this shrub.

Time came for a taste test. I can see now that the one I tasted wasn't fully ripe, yet it was - while not at all cherry-like in taste - quite true to the description in the catalogue: clean and citrusy. Immediately I knew I had a new ingredient to work with and began to consider how to use my harvest (which will be small).  I still love cherries now have added this variety to the list: Bing, Ranier, Sour and Ground.

How many plants have we lost the opportunity to taste and enjoy and be creative with? Yet another reason to seek out and try the new as well as plant the old favorites.