Every region in the U.S. has its own unique flora and flavors, and the Southwest is no exception. You won't find strawberries and tomatoes growing without a lot of assistance in the high desert. But there are native fruits and vegetables that are surprisingly tasty and have the stamina to thrive in tough Arizona soil. Tomatillos (pronounced toe- ma -tee-yos) are small green fruits that look like little tomatoes--hence their Spanish name tomatillo. A member of the nightshade family, it's a near relative of the Cape gooseberry. It's also called a husk tomato because the fruit is wrapped in an inedible husk that browns as the fruit ripens. The tomatillo has a high pectin content making it suitable for preserves. The fruit has a bright, rather sour flavor and is used in salsa verde. Tomatillos grow wild on the roadsides near Casa Wallace. I haven't harvested any since wild plants produce tiny fruits but salsa verde is great. Here's a link to a recipe for making you...
Positively encouraging