Tomorrow, shoppers at the Kapi'olani Community College Saturday farmers market will get the chance to taste free samples of a number of the varieties now fruiting, and participate in a survey to identify their favorites and how they would use the fruit.

South Kona farmer and research aide Ken Love traveled to O'ahu earlier this week with more than 500 pounds of avocados as part of his luggage. He said there will be a second round of tastings later in 2008, to check out spring and summer varieties. There is potential for local avocados to be in the market year-round, as there are varieties fruiting in all seasons here, he said.

Love and UH researchers hosted a tasting at chef Kevin Hanney's 12th Avenue Grill yesterday, at which chef Alan Wong and members of his team, Roy Yamaguchi and his corporate chef and others, chef Ed Kenney and farmer Dean Okimoto tasted seven varieties (including a Mexico-import ringer — which no one chose as their favorite). There was general consensus on a thick-skinned, golden-fleshed buttery variety — which we will identify in a story in The Advertiser Taste section next Wednesday.