Produce Briefs...
Orange Honeydew Melon
Oval-to-round and a delicious cross between a cantaloupe and a honeydew, the very fleshy juicy orangish-yellow pulp of the orange honeydew melon is encased in a hard very yellow matching rind.
Iceberg Lettuce
It is the only lettuce type that does not occur in red form as well as green. Iceberg is the given name to dozens of cultivars of lettuce, all of which are adapted to specific planting regions and time periods.
Seasons/Availability
Fresh lychees are available in late spring into mid summer.
Current Facts
Lychee is a tree fruit and the singular member of the genus Litchi within the soapberry family, which includes chestnut and maple trees. Lychees are a fresh market fruit but their primary commercial market is canning, preserving and drying.
Description/Taste
A fresh lychee is distinctly unique in its appearance. The lychee is petite, roughly the size of a walnut and its skin is covered with tiny spike-like projections. Young fruits are green and once mature they will become blushed with pink, then bright red. At maturity, the thin inedible leathered skin is covered in hues of rouge. The edible translucent white flesh bears a single central dark brown nut which doubles as the fruit's seed. The flesh's texture is jelly-like, chewy and juicy. At their peak ripeness, lychees are perfumed with a combination of flavors exotic to most palates. Lychees bring the fragrance of roses, the sweetness of cherries, the acidic brightness of pineapples and the mellow flavor of green grapes together in one mouthful.
Nutritional Value
Lychees are considered to be a super fruit as a Journal of Nutrition study found that they contain the second highest amounts of polyphenol antioxidants of all known fruits.
Applications
Outside of fresh eating, lychees primary uses are in desserts, beverages, cocktails and martinis. Lychees are juiced and used to create syrups, ice creams and teas. Classic sweet companion ingredients include mango, coconut, bananas, passion fruit and pineapple. Lychees also pair well with cashews, sesame, honey, oranges, elderflower, cream and soft mild cheeses, tapioca, grapefruit and blueberries.
Geography/History
The lychee tree is a sub-tropical and tropical tree that is native to Southern China and Malaysia. Wild lychee trees are one of the dominant tree species of tropical rainforests in Southern China. The lychee tree has been naturalised throughout Asia as well as in other regions in the Western and Southern Hemispheres with similar climates and terrain. Non-native regions are not always ideal for growing though, often leaving trees with limited crops due to inconsistent fruit bearing. Two elements of successfully domesticating lychee trees are irrigation and flowering. Once shoots are established, irrigation is held the second autumn those shoots mature. This induces flowering, which in turn invites bees to pollinate. Bee colonies pollinate, fruits set and lychee trees flourish, weather, cultivar and age permitting. Lychees have a short production season and once harvested, they have a very short shelf-life, creating poor storability rates.
Featured Restaurants
Restaurants currently purchasing this product as an ingredient for their menu.
| Firefly Beach | San Diego CA | 619-222-6440 |
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Lychees. One
is easiest, three is harder.Recently Spotted
People have spotted Lychees using the Specialty Produce app for iPhone and Android.
Produce Spotting allows you to share your produce discoveries with your neighbors and the world! Is your market carrying green dragon apples? Is a chef doing things with shaved fennel that are out of this world? Pinpoint your location annonymously through the Specialty Produce App and let others know about unique flavors that are around them.
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Ocado Yorkshire Near Bradford, United Kingdom About 70 days ago Sainsbury Leeds Near Bradford, United Kingdom About 99 days ago Asda Bradford Near Bradford, United Kingdom About 99 days ago |
