It’s Summertime--Peel Me a Lychee

Fresh lychees (also spelled lichees or litchis), available for a few weeks each summer, taste surprisingly different from those out of a can. The fresh fruit is juicy and sweet, yet not cloyingly so, with a consistency similar to peeled grapes, but slightly firmer. The taste and aroma have been compared to Muscat grapes and roses.

Look for lychees in Asian and specialty markets. Most often you’ll find individual berries, but sometimes the fruit will still be on their stems. Lychees grow on an evergreen tree; when ripe, they are bright-red and hang like bunches of strawberries.

Avoid fruit with cracked shells. Choose those that look fresh and are heavy for their size. The freshest will still be rosy in color; the shells begin turning brown soon after harvest.

Lychees will stay fresh for up to three weeks if refrigerated in a plastic bag, although some of their perfume may be lost. The bumpy skin is easy to peel, if sometimes slightly sticky.

Break open the shells at the stem end with a fingernail or paring knife, then simply peel the outer coating away (Step 1). The translucent, gray-white pulp will slip free like a hard-cooked egg.

In the center of the flesh is a smooth, mahogany-colored seed. Loosen this from the stem end, then cut the fruit in half to remove it completely.

For an easy, attractive presentation, use scissors to cut the outer coating into petals (Step 2). Tuck each section back under the fruit (Step 3), so it resembles a flower.

Straight from the shell, lychees make a simple dessert accompanied by a fruity, sparkling wine. They’re also an excellent addition to fresh fruit salads, slaws and compotes.