Lychee fruit. Bright, tasty and desirable

Exotic fruit lychee in its unusual appearance does not look like fruit that grow in our climate zone. When the first time you see it, it causes sincere surprise, and then confusion. Especially disturbing is the covering of the fetus. It has soft shoots like spines, but what's inside scares. It is completely unclear what is in it an edible and the main question, how to eat it.

This southern fruit is completely unknown to us, it is too bright and beautiful, but you really want to get acquainted with it. Suddenly it is as delicious as it is attractive in appearance?

Lychee is the most famous fruit in Southeast Asia, and it comes from China, where it grows more than 2000 years. In ancient times this fruit was used instead of currency. There are about 100 species of this plant.

The southern sun of China painted an exotic fruit of lychee with noble shades of flowers from pink to brown. Its beauty simply amazes, when the fruits in bunches and ripe, they resemble splashes of precious red rubies. The size of the litchi is about 5 centimeters, weight is about 15-20 grams.

When the fruit ripens, it becomes bright red or pink and has an oval shape. Therefore, when choosing this miracle fruit, pay attention to the color. The fruit of a dark color is not tasteless, because it was ripped off long ago, and there are no vitamins in it.

One might compare lychee with a cherry or plum, but such an analogy will not be exactly accurate, since this fruit is similar to itself. Its just worth a try.

In China, "royal fruit" or hairy fruit is called lychee fruit. Growing it - a long and laborious business, as it is demanding for the climate, it suits the subtropical and tropical. Trees and fruits at low temperatures die.

It grows in picturesque and colorful clusters on evergreen trees, the height of trees is no more than 10 meters. Their leaves are dark green, wavy along the edges and slightly elongated. Their trunk is smooth, gray in color, in clusters there are about 3-15 fruits. The very tree with bright fruits is an object of admiration, it resembles a bouquet of outlandish flowers.

Harvesting takes place from May to June, early maturing in May determines the special value of this fruit. At this time, there is a shortage of vitamins, as the rest of the fruit has not yet ripened. This explains its relevance in the world markets.

After planting, after only 10 years, the lychee fruit will begin to bear fruit, the cultivation of plantations of which is delayed for many years. Yield increases gradually over 20 years. Fruits are torn carefully together with part of the fruit branch and leaves, so they are better transported and stored.

Like any southern, sun-soaked fruit, the flesh of the litchi is sweet with a subtle hint of wine muscat. The fetus has a special bone, surprisingly reminiscent of the eye of an intimidating animal. It is thanks to the coloring of the stone, the Chinese call lychee "the eye of the dragon," and attributed to him sorcery properties. For example, a fruit has a definition such as "the fruit of love" or "giving pleasure." Indeed, a glass of champagne with lychee is a real pleasure.

Lychee fruit is used in making a wonderful wine, the Chinese call it wine, which "excites the soul." There is another way to preserve the fruit - it is dried in the sun, and in this form it is already called Litchi nut.

Gourmets serve the fruit for a dessert in a cooled form, cut the skin and put exotic joy on the hill of large ice.

For many centuries in China, love lychees, not only for exquisite taste, but also for priceless medicinal properties. It lowers the level of sugar in the blood, improves the functioning of the pancreas and kidneys. But the most important value of it is a high content of nicotinic acid, which actively struggles with atherosclerosis.

It has been known for a long time that the inhabitants of Southeast Asia suffer this unpleasant disease much less often than in Europe. It's good, when every Chinese manor house grows this amazingly tasty and useful medicine.

In our climatic zone, lychees can be grown on a windowsill, throw a bone "dragon's eye" in a pot and ask for a tree to grow, and a miracle may happen.