Lychee love

The sweet, floral flavor of a fresh lychee has made it a go-to ingredient in both traditional Asian desserts and in modern applications from trendy cocktails to pork marinades. Lychee lovin’ Baton Rougeans normally turn to canned fruit to get their fix, but it is possible to find them fresh in the Capital City this time of year. The window closes quickly, but once again, they’re making a brief appearance at Vinh Phat (Map it!), the venerable Asian market at the east end of Florida Boulevard.

Owners Chau “Judy” Thai and son Michael Thai confirm this year’s haul was smaller than usual for the tropical tree fruit, largely grown in China and India and, to some degree, in South Florida and Hawaii. If you’re lucky enough to purvey fresh lychees, peel back the scaly exterior to reveal a tight juicy ball of translucent flesh, and don’t forget to mind the small black pit. But if you strike out on the perfumey, exotic appeal of fresh lychees, ease your mind with a lychee martini at Ichiban (Map it!) or cool off with a dessert of sweet lychee over crushed ice at Thai Kitchen (Map it!) —Maggie Heyn Richardson