Market Basket
Golden kiwis making a happy return

Gold kiwi have a flavor reminiscent of mango, melon and citrus rolled into one.

I know, green kiwifruit are pretty darn good but the golden ones have a tropical flavor, reminiscent of mango, melon and citrus all rolled into one. Golden kiwi have a mellow mouth feel while green ones are tangy. OK, they complement each other and look pretty wonderful when their bright yellow and green slices are alternated on a platter.

Two pieces of gold kiwifruit have 80 calories and a good supply of vitamin C, potassium and fiber. Buy these fruit slightly soft to the touch; chilling is recommended. Cut in half and scoop out with a spoon (although, believe it or not, the skin is edible) for a refreshing taste treat.

Gold kiwifruit, like their green cousins, are coming in from New Zealand, where all this kiwi business started.

Sweet onions plentiful

'Ewa Sweet onions have been plentiful in markets lately, the result of a good crop from Alec Sou's Aloun Farm in Kunia. With 200 acres planted this year, Sou has already shipped 50 forty-foot containers of sweet onions to the Mainland, where they are being sold at Costco, Safeway and Trader Joe stores. Summertime is when we see sweet onions: Texas Sweet, Vidalias and of course, Maui onions. Sweet onions are different from storage or cooking onions: They're crisp, watery and sweet without an acidic bite. Sou has timed his crop to be available when other onions are not: March-April was the focus and September-October should see another surge. A few stores still have some around at less than $1 a pound; they're terrific in a hamburger and great in a tomato onion salad.

New farmer's market

There's a farmer's market at Aloha Tower Marketplace on Wednesdays and Fridays, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Local fruits and vegetables, flowers and crafts are featured, many from the same vendors who are at Manoa Marketplace on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Art Frechette is the organizer of the group.

Send shopping queries and new product information to: Market Basket, The Honolulu Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802. Fax: 525-8055. E-mail: jnamkoong@honoluluadvertiser.com. Or call: 525-8069.