An imperial concubine's smile

Bought some fresh lychees 荔枝 a couple of weeks ago, but they weren't the usual mouthwatering delish. Since when longan 龍眼 (dragon's eye) have now appeared at the local fruit and veg. As have a new batch of fresh lychee, which are much better than the earlier lychee -- these are juicier and have that delicate, fragrant aftertaste.

A little ferreting around on-line reveals that lychees, like apples, come in different varieties. Such as:

'Fei tsu hsiao', or 'Fi tsz siu' (imperial concubine's laugh, or smile) is large, amber-colored, thin-skinned, with very sweet, very fragrant flesh. Seeds vary from large to very small. It ripens early.

Not sure which variety this is, but herewith I swallow an imperial concubine's smile. Or three. It ripens early. . .

That's for now. The rest are for the beach on Saturday to share with Barb and the kids.

For your lychee needs: purdue
For obsessives: FAO