By Ken Ige, Star-Bulletin
The spiky rambutan is a cousin of lychee.

Exotic fruits add variety
and color to the table

For the ultimate in Thanksgiving feast garnishes, try exotic tropical fruits such as red spiky rambutans, creamy-textured atemoya, golden citrusy starfruit and acid-free white pineapple.

Big Isle farmer Eric Weinert offers free chilled samples of these fruits at Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center in Waikiki for the next four weekends, starting tomorrow. Sample from 5 to 10 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays.

The rambutan is a fragrant cousin of the lychee. The atemoya is a cross between cherimoya and sweetsop; its custardlike pulp has a delicate, sweet flavor like a blend of mango and vanilla.

"Agriculture really needs a boost with the sugar industry out," said Weinert, owner of Hula Brothers Inc. "These tropical crops grow so well here, and the fruits are starting to come out in pretty good commercial volume."

He also offers fresh-cut fruit plates and whole fruits for sale.

Call 966-6633 on the Big Island or 922-0588 at the shopping center.

---

Beta-carotene bargains

In other produce news, red garnet yams, celery and potatoes top the best-buy column. Also, Daiei and Safeway lead the pre-Thanksgiving turkey sweepstakes with prices at 38 cents and 39 cents a pound, respectively.

Yams are a beta-carotene coup at 37 cents a pound at Daiei, Safeway and Star; 39 cents at Times; and 49 cents at Foodland.

Stuff celery or put it in stuffing at 33 cents a pound at Daiei and Foodland; 39 cents at Safeway, Star and Times; and 49 cents at Foodland and Sack N Save.

In the midst of the largest spud crop in U.S. history, according to the National Potato Promotion Board, potatoes are 5 pounds for 98 cents at Daiei. Also, popular fuyu persimmons are 88 cents a pound at Daiei.