TROPICAL PRODUCE IS ON KROGER'S SYLLABUS

ATLANTA -- Kroger's division here is focusing on tropical produce items at its cooking school, with the help of a tropical supply house based in Florida.

here. Sponsored by Brooks Tropicals, a grower-shipper in Homestead, Fla., the classes will use tropical fruits and vegetables as ingredients.

"We think this will be a great way to introduce people to tropicals," said Robin Sprague, marketing manager for Brooks. Officials at Kroger's Atlanta division declined to comment.

Brooks coined the term "Floribbean" to indicate the merging of Floridian and Caribbean cultures to produce a distinctive cuisine.

Sprague told SN that many people are unfamiliar with the different ways to prepare exotic fruits and vegetables, and thus are often more comfortable with well-known items, like apples.

Tony Merola, director of marketing and executive chef for Brooks, will conduct the classes. Sprague said this is the first time Brooks has sponsored cooking instruction.

"We've done demonstrations before, but this is a cooking school," she said. "Demos have to be quick. Here, we'll be working with people who have signed up and are interested."

The classes, which will last an hour and a half each, are scheduled April 25 and 26. They will be centered around entrees and desserts based on tropical fruits and vegetables.

Kroger will help to promote the classes, she added. The chain inserted a plug for the tropical sessions on the front page of its cooking class schedule, for example.

Recipes such as papaya salsa, chicken and mango sauce, chicken breast with chayote squash and wild rice waffle and Caribbean chili will be on the menu, the chain said in the announcement.

Sprague said Kroger first approached Brooks about sponsoring the classes last fall. Unlike many Kroger cooking classes, the Brooks ones will be free. She said that Atlanta represents an ideal venue for events like this. The market is an urban, cosmopolitan one, where Brooks already has a presence.

"We have no idea what to expect, but we're looking forward to it," she added.