Rambutan
While grocery shopping at Trader Joe's today, I found a fruit I'd never seen before: the rambutan.
So colorful and exhuberant… I had to take some home.
My rambutans came from Honduras, but the fruit is originally from the Malay archipelago, at least according to Wikipedia and a few other websites I checked. Rambutans are related to lychees, but their skin is thicker and their seeds slightly smaller, so they have a little more flesh. Inside, they look translucent and milky, just like lychees, but I like them better because they have a little bit of tartness to them.
Comments
Back in Singapore, we had 3 rambutan trees! During the fruiting season, we would just climb up the tree, find a comfortable perch and eat them till we were sick.
Posted by: Marina | October 12, 2006 2:31 PM
those are beautiful... i wonder if the hull will keep it's color... and, if my traders joe's has any.
Posted by: stephanie s | October 12, 2006 4:50 PM
I'll let you know if they keep the color. About Trader Joe's, I know that they stock certain products by region, i.e. you'll find some things only on the East Coast or only on the West Coast. In addition to that, individual stores can use discretion in what they carry. I hope you find them.
Posted by: Francesca | October 12, 2006 5:03 PM
Smaller seed sounds just great. I love lychees but they are really hard to peel and sometimes the seeds are so big! Will try Rambutans next time, they look very promising.
Beautifully captured, such a vivid photo, Francesca!
Posted by: Alex | October 12, 2006 5:22 PM
oof, that's some gorgeous looking fruit there ;)
Posted by: andrea | October 12, 2006 5:44 PM
Oh, what a beautiful fruit! I wonder what they taste like, they look so juicy. I'll have to keep my eyes open for some of those.
Posted by: janel | October 12, 2006 6:30 PM
My mouth is watering. Once upon a time I worked within walking distance of a sueprmarket with a vast array of fruit and I used to keep lychees by my desk as a snack. Rambutan sound lovelier still.
Posted by: rosie | October 13, 2006 11:02 AM
hummmm! ils ont l'air délicieux!
(et tes petites chaussettes sont ravissantes ;))
Posted by: artway | October 13, 2006 1:13 PM
They look like little pearl onions in fun fur coats.
Posted by: Marlene | October 13, 2006 1:55 PM
I'm so glad that you posted pictures, including of the fruit cut open. I wasn't sure if they were fruit or flowers because they are so beautiful. I'll definately be checking my local TJ's out tomorrow.
Posted by: Laura | October 13, 2006 10:06 PM
I love your description of colorful and exhuberant. I couldn't agree more. I've never seen nor heard. I'll have to check at my Wegmans store and see if they have it.
Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Barbp | October 13, 2006 10:40 PM
Aren't rambutans great? I think they are the most interesting looking fruit I have ever seen, and really tasty. I have never seen them in the US before. That's amazing that you found them!
Posted by: Sijbrich | October 26, 2006 4:35 PM
I have been able to try them lately... much easier to peel, delicious but I thought they could be a bit less sweet/have a hint of sour note...
Greetings from Japan!
Posted by: Alex | November 4, 2006 9:12 AM