Longan, clockwise from right, oranges and pomelo are available at
Chinatown markets. By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
Longan, clockwise from right, oranges and pomelo are available at
Chinatown markets. By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
Longan, also known as dragon's eyes, is an inch-round, more fragrant cousin of the lychee. It's grown in island back yards and is available for about $3 a pound in Chinatown markets.
On the other end of the fruit-size spectrum, pomelo is the largest citrus, ranging in size from a cantaloupe to a watermelon. It's abundant in isle yards.
Chinatown bakeries offer moon cakes filled with black beans, lotus-seed paste, mince meat and moon-shaped egg yolks. The Moon Festival, or Mid-Autumn Festival, is an important harvest celebration under the brightest moon and is also a time to honor ancestors.
Moon-round ruby red grapes are a produce best-buy 69 cents a pound at Safeway, while large, sweet Rose Ito grapes are $1.38 a pound at Daiei.
Other harvest season buys include fresh-crop red delicious apples at 88 cents a pound at Daiei, and Island Fresh cabbage at 29 cents a pound at IGH (Independent Grocers of Hawaii), 33 cents at Sack N Save, and 38 cents at Foodland.
All markets offer broccoli, priced from 67 cents a pound at Sack N Save to 99 cents at Safeway. Also, boneless crossrib roast of beef is $1.49 a pound at Star Markets, and $1.67 at Sack N Save; silver salmon roast costs $2.99 at Times; and kabocha pumpkin is 79 cents at Times.