Lychee

Why We Love It: For only a few special weeks at the end of May and June, the treasured red, golf-ball sized fruits known as lychee or litchi are in season in South Florida. Native to China, lychee (Litchi chinensis) is cherished among aficionados for its perfume-like flavor and sweet juicy flesh beneath its roughly textured skin. Highly perishable and sometimes scarce, lychee varieties found here include Brewster, Sweet Heart, Mauritius and Hak Ip. They freeze well unpeeled, to serve partially thawed later in the summer as a refreshing treat.