Don't be Afraid of Fresh Lychee

Ah, the aromatic lychee: honeyed, floral, and inextricably imbued with a silken exoticism from its roots in southern China, increasingly incorporated into Western-style desserts, and still primarily purchased in cans. Perhaps because it remains within the confines of ethnic grocery stores (or Chinatown fruit carts), many who count themselves as ardent fans are hesitant to enjoy it at its best: from May to late summer, straight out of its nubby little wrapper.

Don't be afraid! Though it may resemble a flora armadillo, the skin of the lychee is actually very thin, and when fresh, flexible enough to allow for fast peeling with greedy fingers alone. The texture of fresh lychee is closest to that of a large, juicy grape, and is best eaten in one full chomp. The mahogony stone is oblong, smooth, and easy to spit out, kind of like a cherry's.

Ripe fruit have vivid pink or red skin, and are slightly squishy to the touch. Brownish skin indicates a lack of freshness (though they are still edible), and the appearance of dried-out fruit has led to the misnomer 'lychee nut'. Buy by the pound and enjoy while you can, but take care: the Chinese say that eating too many of them will overstimulate your ch'i (life force).

Below is a picture taken last week in Chinatown. Lychees above were eaten in California about a month ago.