Lychees (Litchi chinensis) from Réunion — a French overseas territory in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar. Réunion is one of the few origins where lychees are still grown in small-scale orchards rather than industrial plantations, and the fruit is air-freighted to European markets through Rungis rather than shipped by sea. The difference in freshness is significant: a sea-freighted lychee from mainland China or Thailand has typically spent weeks in cold storage, which dulls the flavour and toughens the skin. These arrive within days of picking. The lychee is an unusual fruit botanically. Beneath the rough, papery shell — which peels away easily by hand — is a single sphere of translucent white flesh surrounding a dark, inedible seed. The flesh has a texture closer to a peeled grape than to any other tropical fruit: slippery, juicy, and delicate. The flavour is floral and sweet with a clean acidity — rose water is the comparison most often made, though there are also notes of muscat grape and white peach. The aromatic compounds responsible are primarily geraniol and linalool, both terpene alcohols that are also found in roses, which is why the floral association is so persistent. The shell colour is not a reliable indicator of freshness — lychees brown naturally after harvest as the skin dehydrates, even when the fruit inside is still perfect. A slightly browned shell with firm, fragrant flesh is better than a bright red lychee that has been treated with sulphur dioxide to preserve its colour. Store in the fridge and eat within a few days — these are at their best cold, straight from the shell. Producer: Philibon — Réunion Island. Ingredients: Fresh lychees (Litchi chinensis).
