Tamarillo Yellow

The tamarillo, also called the tree tomato, belongs to the nightshade family, so it is a close relative of our tomato and potato. The tamarillo is an 8-10 cm long, egg-shaped berry fruit with a smooth skin. Its flesh can be yellow, red or dark purple and contains numerous edible, soft seeds. Tamarillos have a slightly tart sweet-sour taste.

Origin

The tamarillo's home is northern South America. Today, it is grown in many tropical and subtropical regions, including New Zealand, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia and Kenya. In smaller quantities, it comes to our markets throughout the year.

Tips

The tamarillo is ripe when it yields to light pressure and its colour is bright orange. Fresh tamarillos should be eaten soon. As the skin contains bitter substances, it is advisable to briefly scald the fruit and then gently peel off the skin.

Preparation

Tamarillos are suitable for eating raw by washing them, cutting them lengthwise and spooning them out, sprinkled with sugar or salt according to taste. It makes an exotic addition to fruit, meat, fish and poultry salads. Baked, it is also a sophisticated garnish for fish and meat dishes.