Lychee
Lychees - a very delicately flavored fruit - is a member of the longan family. The lychee has been cultivated since 1700 B.C., and originated in China. This delicious fruit has many times been featured in Chinese literature, and was presented to the imperial court in northern China during the Han dynasty. Lychees are grown in China, Japan, and other parts of Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Hawaii, Florida, California, Mexico, Taiwan, Israel, Chile, parts of the Mediterranean, and other areas around the globe.
Lychees are similar in size to a small plum, and have a reddish-brown, rough exterior skin that surrounds the translucent jelly-like flesh. There is a small amount of clear, delicious juice beneath the skin of the lychee, and although the brown seed is not edible, the flesh is sweet with a minimal amount of acid similar to a sweet grape - considered a perfect ending to a meal.
Lychees are included in fruit salads, and are relished fresh. Fresh lychees can be stuffed with a mild cheese, and served as a salad topped with dressing and pecans, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds or any nut or seed desired. Lychees can be layered with ice cream in parfait cups, and served as a dessert. Pureed lychees are added to ice cream mixes, and the juice of the fresh lychee is used for making sorbet and fruit ice. Peeled, seeded lychees are canned in a thick sugar syrup, and prior to the expanded cultivation of this wonderful fruit, was the only way consumers could procure lychees.
Lychees are very low in calories, and contain good amounts of dietary fiber, calcium, Protein, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and vitamin C.