WTF, Rambutans?!

Rambutans, The Hairy Lychee

My husband found these on the reduced produce shelf at the grocery store and brought them home.  Rambutans, also known as The Hairy Lychee.*  You cut the hairy shell off and then take the flesh off the pit -- this is all pretty easy and isn't like getting the flesh off the pit of a stubborn plum or anything.  A little bit of the pit skin might stay on the fruit, but that's okay.  Scrape the pit skin off if the texture isn't your thing, but otherwise you can eat it and not die.  The pit skin tastes a little walnutty.   The rambutan fruit has pretty much the exact texture of a lychee and tastes like a melange of melon and lychee with a hint of sweat.  Yes, sweat.  Not salty sweat, but sweaty sock sweat.  It's not much, but it's there.

I think these are nice, but I like lychees better.  Rambutans are easier to peel, though.

So when you see these little weirdos in the produce aisle, now you know what they are!

*  The Hairy Lychee would make a great band name.  I'm just sayin'.