Tamarillo

The tamarillo, also called 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. Their flesh can be yellow, red or dark purple and contains numerous edible, soft seeds. Tamarillos have a slightly tart sweet and sour taste.

Origin

The home of the tamarillo 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 all year round.

Tips

The tamarillo is ripe when it yields to light pressure and its colour is bright red. Fresh tamarillos should be eaten soon. As the skin contains bitter substances, it is recommended 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 is suitable as an exotic addition to fruit, meat, fish and poultry salads. Baked, it is also a refined side dish for fish and meat dishes.