Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Lychee


Pronounced (LEE- CHEE)

When peeled, I think of it as big very sweet grape.


The seed in the center is slightly poisonous and should NOT be eaten (it tastes bitter anyway so you won't want to eat it)

The fruit matures from July to October, about 100 days after flowering.

They require a warm subtropical to tropical climate that is cool but also frost-free or with only very slight winter frosts not below -4°C, and with high summer heat, rainfall, and humidity.

They are very common in China, Thailand and Vietnam.
Lychees are beginning to be grown in Florida and Hawaii. (so they are still expensive in America) but it is also sold canned year-round (much cheapter)

Lychees have been valued by successions of Chinese Emperors for their sweetness

Native to Southern China and according to legend, when courtiers first found the lychee, they thought the fruit was so delicious that they rushed home to display their discovery to Emperor Han.



The Lychees I got looked like this. : )

References 1 ; 2 ; 3

10 comments:

urban vegan said...

when I was in India, they served fresh lychees for breakfast, they cut the shell halfway away--and so half the fruit was revealed. the presentation was so beautiful. you felt like you were eating a jewel.

KleoPatra said...

Lovely lychees. Thanks for the news on this fab fruit!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the info, girl!!!

Carrie™ said...

Lychees are a little pricey, but a nice treat for something different. Have you ever had a glass of Gewurtztraminer? The nose is very much full of lychee scents. You should try it compared side by side to the fruit.
San Francisco looks amazing! My friends went last year. Michelle's brother is going to Stanford and they went to see him. They couldn't say enough nice things about the place and the people. Looks like you had a blast. Thanks for sharing

Ed Tep said...

Teddy - I never knew the pits were poisonous. Good thing I never tried to eat them.

Jen said...

Oh I love Lychees although its hard to find them fresh where im from.

t. said...

I ony have Lytchees at Christams since it is basically the only season they can be easily found (why??? I am not sure why they are traditional for xmas...). When I lived with a Chinese roomie though, she introduced me to so many great lytchee desserts! Totally sweet and great tasting!

Crystal said...

Yeah! Great information. Thanks!!

-Crystal

pinknest said...

if there's any brand of canned lychees you like, let me know!

Shananigans said...

Oooh, lychees and Gewurtztraminer, I like the way you think carrie! Fetzer makes a nice sweet Gewurtztraminer that’s pretty inexpensive, I think I’ll give lychees another try with the wine and see if I don’t like them more the second time around.