Free Sampling Sat. at Exotic Fruit Event | Events

The following information is provided by Ferk Gavelek Communications:

The Surinam cherry and jackfruit co-star at a free ultra-exotic fruit tasting and culinary demonstration 1-3 p.m. May 19 at Whole Foods Market at Kahala Mall. Come taste the fruit and see how it’s prepared by Chef Kevin Hanney of 12th Avenue Grill and SALT. Local growers will be on hand to answer questions.

The fun, fruity event is presented by the statewide Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers (HTFG), whose members are growing Surinam cherries and other ultra-exotic tropical fruits. These not-so-well-known edibles—like calamonsie, jackfruit, ulu, abiu, durian, lychee, white sapote and mangosteen—are among a growing number of odd fruits that are intriguing island chefs and shoppers.

“Besides offering unique flavors, shapes and colors, they bring novelty to the table and can delight the senses,” says Ken Love, HTFG president.

HTFG is working to build markets for these juicy rarities via free public taste tests and culinary demonstrations at stores on four Hawaiian Islands throughout 2012. Titled “New Markets for Ultra-Exotic Fruits,” the event series is funded by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture through a USDA competitive grant program to foster small farm sustainability.

A total of eight educational demonstrations are planned and participating stores will stock the fruit in their produce sections, accompanied by recipes and additional fruit information to take home.

Surinam Cherry

The Surinam cherry gets its name from its origin—the northern South American country of Surinam. It’s also called the pumpkin cherry in Hawaii because of its shape. A member of the Myrtaceae family, the “cherry” is related to guava and jaboticaba. Surinam cherry can be eaten out-of-hand or used in fruit cups, pies and other desserts. Brazilians ferment the juice for wine or vinegar. A good source of vitamins A and C, iron and iodine, the fruit is an antidiarrhoeic. Surinam cherry also has substantial amounts of the antioxidant lycopene, beta-cryptoxanthin, gamma-carotene and rubixanthin. 

Jackfruit

Jackfruit originated in India and has long been popular for its fruit, timber and medicinal purposes. It is the largest of tree-borne fruits and grows from eight inches to three feet long. It is green/yellow in color and has a leathery, spikey appearance. Jackfruit can be enjoyed when ripe as a fruit and half-ripe as a vegetable. It is commonly cooked into stews and can be pickled, dried, canned and dried. It’s also used to flavor ice cream, pudding, gum and beverages.  The seeds can be boiled and enjoyed as a snack or milled into a gluten-free flour. Jackfruit is a good source of vitamin C, is rich in potassium and contains isoflavones, antioxidants, and phytonutrients, all of which are credited for their cancer-fighting properties. 

For more information, contact Love at ken@mycoffee.net or 808 (969-7926).

Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers

Incorporated in 1989 to promote tropical fruit grown in Hawaii, HTFG is a statewide association of tropical fruit growers, packers, distributors and hobbyists dedicated to tropical fruit research, education, marketing and promotion; http://www.htfg.org.