Rambutan

I found this gorgeous-looking fruit at Whole Foods Market in Durham, NC on June 8, 2005. I had my camera with me and, with the gentleman in produce who helped introduce me to this Southeast Asian fruit, I photographed the store display and then later did a study at home.

I cut the fruit around the center to expose a rather provocative perspective. One end of the white fruit is firmly attached to the inside of the shell, while the other is not - the outside readily falls off from that unattached end.

The fruit reminded me very much of lychee, though not with much of a fragrance (I like how lychee smells). It also had a more watery and less rich flavor than lychee. I found a good website, with some very nice pictures (with Mother Nature contributing so strikingly, how could one not get fabulous pictures, afterall?!), at www.rambutan.com. Enjoy!