Native to China and Southeast Asia, the lychee fruit grows on an exotic tree in the sapindaceae family. It has a translucid white pulp boasting a slightly sour flavor, that is encompassed by a reddish shell. Its subtle fragrance is reminiscent of roses. Lychee notes are reproduced in a laboratory since it is not possible to extract an essential oil. A helpful ingredient is cis-rose oxide, a molecule that smells like lychee and can also be found in nature in roses and geraniums.
Lychee cultivation was first mentioned in 111 B.C., where it appears in the royal records of Emperor Han Wudi who ordered it to be planted within his palace walls. Unfortunately, the cultivation was unsuccessful due to the harsh weather conditions of norther China. Lychee was brought to Reunion Island in 1764 by Joseph-François Charpentier de Cossigny de Palma, where it is called letchi. From there it traveled to Madagascar, which has since become one of its main producers.
People's Republic of China
