unlimited culinary potential, and will
probably appear on the U.S. mainland in
the not-too-distant future, either as fresh
fruit or in value-added products.
FRUIT ABCS
When I started to think about fruit ABCs, it
quickly turned into a fantasy. What would I
plant if land, time and money were not an
issue? If I could do anything horticultural that
I wanted to, what would it be?
I would plant more of the fruits on my
ABCs list—to eat, trade and sell, and to
use in education and for health. I graft
many trees, but not as much as I plant
seedlings, because I want that genetic
diversity. I’ll look at trees even when I know
they won’t produce for 10, or even 30,
years. My first teacher turned 98 in May,
and still plants mangosteen seeds that
won’t produce for 20 years. I want to be
that way, too.
So, here’s the A to Z of it. We should
know that there is more than one type
of avocado, fig, mango, orange, etc.,
and knowing the different varieties and
making them available to growers, then
consumers, has helped in the revitalization
of production agriculture in Hawaii. This,
in turn, has revitalized Hawaiian regional
cuisine and made visiting the islands a
culinary adventure.
Ken Love is president of Love Family
Farms on the Big Island of Hawaii and a
guest lecturer in the hospitality department
at the University of Hawaii Community
Colleges—Kona.
a
Alupag
Is it a lychee or a
longan? For me, it’s
the best of both.
The only problem
is finding the meat
around the seed.
Biwa
Some of the biwa
(seedless loquat)
I work with are
mizuho, fusa hima,
fusa hikari and
the largest, obusa,
which can average 120 grams.
Other B fruits: bilimbi and Buddha’s
hand. Bilimbi used as a substitute
for vinegar has amazing potential.
b
Ceylon
Gooseberry/
Kitembilla
When mixed with 65%
sugar, this reminds me
of growing up in Chicago with Greek
restaurants on every corner that
served large stacks of pancakes and
boysenberry syrup. But this kitembilla
syrup is much, much better.
c
d
Durian
I like it almost as much
as watching the facial
expressions of people
who smell it for the
first time.
e
Eggfruit/
Canistel
This is one of those
fruits you either love
or hate. It has the
highest natural occurrence of vitamin A,
and I like to mix it with whipped purple
sweet potato.
f
Finger Limes
I hope I live to see
these established in
Hawaii. I really love
this fruit, as does
every chef I’ve ever
talked to who has
sampled it.
g
Green Sapote
It has a number of flavors, depending on when it’s picked or
when it’s eaten. It’s closer to mamey sapote when it first softens,
which Floridians would love. Give it another few days, and it turns
into chocolate pudding, that thick, slightly lumpy kind. On the
Big Island, it can be found at the Four Seasons Resort and the
Fairmont Orchid in irresistible confections. Second choice for a
G fruit is grumichama, or Brazil cherry.
