Fruit thieves steal promise of countless lilikoi luxuries

Last December, just before the holidays, we were eagerly awaiting our first batch of lilikoi from the tangled vine all along our chain-link fence. My husband planted two fruit at the end of summer, which he had clipped from vines on an obliging mountain trail, and pretty soon we had a very healthy plant.

I wasn’t quite prepared for how the vine would take over, and I admit that I find it a little bothersome. The flowers attract carpenter bees, causing the kids to run screaming to the house. And then there’s the fact that it’s hard to tell what the vine is clinging to — it has taken over part of the neighbor’s side of the fence, and the sidewalk, too. It’s getting difficult to open the gate as it entrenches itself in the hinges. We trim but it grows back quickly.

Still, those large, egg-shaped fruits on the vine promised something to me: All this trouble would be worth it. I counted the green globes and dreamed up jars of lilikoi butter, bars and baking experiments.

They were just beginning to turn yellow when we went out of town for Christmas.

Upon our return I looked over the vines. All of our lilikoi had been taken.

I mourned those fruit. I hoped they had been enjoyed by the thieves who carefully picked through the entire length of fence. I hoped the bandits had as good a recipe for lilikoi butter as I.

When the next flowers began to bloom in March, I almost dreaded the process. The bees, the overgrowth, the cleaning up of smashed fruit, victims of neighborhood boys’ wars — we watched it all again.

And here I am, waiting for our harvest. We picked a few early and let them ripen in a bowl on the counter, just in case those thieves come in the night.

Lilikoi Bundt Cake
1 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
2 cups sugar, divided
4 large eggs
3 cups flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 cup lilikoi puree

Heat oven to 350 degrees and place rack in middle position. Spray 10-inch bundt pan with nonstick spray, or brush with oil.

In large bowl with electric mixer, beat butter and 1-1/2 cups sugar for 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time. When all eggs are incorporated, mix batter additional 2 to 3 minutes, until very fluffy.

In separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In small bowl, whisk remaining sugar, yogurt and puree until well blended.

Add 1/3 of flour mixture to butter mixture and mix just until incorporated. Pour in half of yogurt and mix again. Add rest of flour and yogurt in the same way, ending with folding in final flour addition. Try not to overmix.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cake comes out mostly clean, with just a few crumbs clinging to it. Serves 10 to 12.

Nutritional information unavailable.

Mariko Jackson blogs about family and food at www.thelittlefoodie.com. 

BY REQUEST: Betty Shimabukuro takes a break on the last week of the month. Her column returns July 2.