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It's a lychee-licious season

It's a good year for lychee lovers.

Big Island growers are reporting a bumper crop of the bumpy red globes. The Kaimana variety will be in season through June -- it can be found in many supermarkets, as well as farmers' markets and in Chinatown.

Typically you'll find lychee at about an inch in diameter, but the extra-fancy kings measure 1-1/2 inches, sometimes larger. About half of them have a very small, "chicken tongue" seed -- which means you get more of the sweet, succulent fruit.

Look for the kings at the Saturday Farmers' Markets at Kapiolani Community College (7:30 to 11 a.m.) and Mililani High School (2 to 4 p.m.), Ace Market in Chinatown or Made in Hawaii Foods in Pearl City.

Later in the summer, look for the Bozworth 3 and Kwimi Pink varieties, which are smaller than the Kaimanas.

Farm fresh dinner benefits island agriculture

While we're on the subject of lychee and farmers -- the annual Hawaii Farm Bureau benefit will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday at Roy's Hawaii Kai.

The dinner is called "Roy and Friends," for host Roy Yamaguchi and the line-up of chefs who make each year's dinner a major eating affair.

Fresh lychees will be incorporated in a dessert created by Arren Higashi, pastry chef at Roy's. His Hawaiian Vanilla Medley will feature crème brulée, crèpes and a creamsicle tapioca -- all of them starring vanilla, but with lychee in a supporting role.

That's just an example of the fare. Sixteen chefs will serve specialties made with island produce at outdoor cooking stations. It's an all-you-can-eat "grazing" affair with a ticket price of $125.

Or, for those who like to sit while they eat, $2,000 buys a table for 10. Five chefs -- Yamaguchi, Alan Wong, D.K. Kodama, Hiroshi Fukui and Lisa Siu -- will collaborate on the menu for a formal sit-down dinner.

Proceeds support Farm Bureau projects and scholarships.

Call 478-9621.