OMG, I want a piece of that melon!!!
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I edited my post; I thought it was French Morning but I had lost track of the vine. Itās actually Sugar Cube. Starts out with a fuzzy skin, hence the sugar cube name. Itās an F1 hybrid, so Iām not bothering to save the seeds.
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Had my first Groundcherries this morning. Before Permaculture lad tuned me in to them, I had always considered it a weedā¦ The same thing happened with Purslane a few years ago. I had no idea one could eat it. Now itās a regular part of my stir fries. Not too long ago I saw a headline about Purslane being considered a Superfood.
Our garden today is so different from the one I grew up with. Elderberries, Gogi berries, Purslane, Groundcherries, and probably more Iām not thinking of at the moment.
Even planting cukes and squash for a fall season is new for me. At the moment, theyāre looking good with blossoms, etc.
Meanwhile, Iām off to freeze some tomatoes for winterā¦
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Iāve heard that pickled purslane is delicious.
Edited to say I made fresh creamy tomato soup with some extra tomatoes earlier this week. Very good!
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Love ground cherries. Battle chipmunks for them every year.
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Are these what is known as physalis? Yum. Good stuff.
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Hereās more info!
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Thanks! Looks like physalis to me! 
They are considered a āsuperfoodā by some. Alas, we donāt have land to grow them. I get them at Trader Joeās. Tasty!
Speaking of pests, someone ate a tomato in my deck garden. We think it was a wood rat 
Mr. rigged a rat zapper.
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Any suggestions on what to do with the āextraā cherry tomatoes? We get way too many - I love eating them as-is or in salads, but canāt consume pounds of these!
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When I made my tomato soup I used a smaller (bigger than grape but smaller than like romas) tomato - I did it in my instant pot and didnāt bother to peel them. Once I used the hand blender I didnāt really notice the skin.
I would just use a little more liquid next time since I used fresh over canned tomatoes.
Iāve also ādriedā grape tomatoes - they donāt last forever but can last a couple/few weeks in the refrigerator.
Slow roasted āsun driedā tomatoes - easy and downright yummy! Cover large cookie sheet w/foil, set cooling rack in top. Slice Romaās/plum tomatoes lengthwise in 2-3 slices each tomato, place on rack. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt and sugar. Bake 250 degrees for 3-4 hours. Cool and re-drizzle w/olive oil. Refrigerate. Amazing!
Also salsa with grape tomatoes!
Easy pasta sauce
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I chop the tomatoes we are unable to eat, cherry and all, into pieces and freeze that mess in ziplock bags (flattened for easy thawing). Then I use those frozen tomato chunks in soups and other dishes calling for fresh tomatoes. Borschtā¦ yummm. Ratatouilleā¦ yummm.
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Purslane is a good source of omega 3 fatty acid. I used to get them for 33c a bunch from the local store.
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I have a tiny Ping Tung Long. I donāt really eat a lot of eggplants because they are night shade family, but my husband likes them. So I wait until I clear my melon bed and waiting for fall crop to plant them, same with okra.
I like to make a side dish using chopped cucumbers and tomatoes (last week I used cherry tomatoes since we have an abundance). I add salad dressing - usually Italian but prefer Mediterranean if I can find it. (You could use your own oil and vinegar and herb). Then I stir in feta cheese. Mozzerella would probably work instead. Other optional items - basil, chopped pepper, chopped onion etc.
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Those sun dried tomatoes look awesome! Nowā¦ if only the weather would get cool enough to use the oven!
How do you eat it? My stepsonās former girlfriend planted some in my herb garden and I have no clue what to do with it?
I saw Jacques Pepin did something like this on his Instagram, pretty easy recipe.
I was referring to purslane. Looks like a good eggplant recipe!
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Oh, I just lightly sautĆ© with a bit of olive oil. It has a slight sour taste, some Mexican dishes use them. Itās also known as verdolagas, someone at the farmers market told me about it.