More Rambutan

[FloridaGreenMan]

Marin stopped by today and brought me some of those Guatemalan Rambutans that are selling in Boca Raton for $3 per lb. The quality of the fruit was pretty good for store bought ones! They are non-irradiated so you can grow a tree that will never fruit here but heck, it's fun to dream. Thanks again Marin!
FGM     
   

[fruitlovers]

Fancy box and fruits look really great. Not an easy job with rambutan as those splinterns are known to turn black really fast. The fruit will still taste good even when they look bad, but loses customer appeal.

[FloridaGreenMan]

Fancy box and fruits look really great. Not an easy job with rambutan as those splinterns are known to turn black really fast. The fruit will still taste good even when they look bad, but loses customer appeal.

These were some of the best looking Rambutans I have seen on the mainland U.S.  They must be picking and quickly flying them over. Down in Central America, they have become a common roadside fruit that are called "Lichas"...pronounced "Leechas" 

[fruitlovers]

Possible also they're using a PHT (post harvest treatment) sprays. I know that there was research on anti tranpirants to lock in the air and keep them from drying out.

[cbss_daviefl]

I was eating these last night along side sweetheart lychees my wife bought locally from Lychees Online.  I thought they went well together.  Yes, the lychees were better but the rambutans are very good too.  I will be going back to Western Beef on Pines today to see if they have more rambutans.

[Sleepdoc]

I agree the Lychees are better.  But at $2.99/lb, the Rambutans are definately worthwhile.

[MarinFla]

The way I see it is at $2.99 per pound they are cheaper than potato chips!! And much healthier. I could go though 2+ pounds of Rambutan in one TV show Noel you living so close by my office is a plus (less than a mile). I will be going by Western Beef tonight to see if they have more!!
Noel...thanks for the tour of your yard too. You're doing amazing things over there! PS Thanks for for the Mamey and mangoes! What is the name of the mango tree by the drive? Pin-sen-mum ? I forgot and didn't write it down. Thanks again

[lkailburn]

Yum those look good!

-Luke

[Central Floridave]

I'm going to Costa Rica next month and they call rambutan, "Mamonchino" there.   I think that translate to Chinese Sucker.  Typically the roadside stand's mamonchino are on the sour side and I assume they are seedlings and not improved variety. But, sometimes you find the sweet ones.     Rambutan was one of the first rare tropical fruit I was exposed to back in the early trips to Costa Rica in 1992.    Those photos look great!     

[fruitlovers]

I'm going to Costa Rica next month and they call rambutan, "Mamonchino" there.   I think that translate to Chinese Sucker.  Typically the roadside stand's mamonchino are on the sour side and I assume they are seedlings and not improved variety. But, sometimes you find the sweet ones.     Rambutan was one of the first rare tropical fruit I was exposed to back in the early trips to Costa Rica in 1992.    Those photos look great!     

That is not the correct translation. Mamon mean spanish lime, the one type of sapindaceae (same family as rambutan and lychee) they are most familiar with in Caribbean and Central America. So they call it Chinese Spanish Lime. (Never mind that rambutan is actually from Malaysia, not China!  )
BTW, Guatemala is now planting huge acreages to mangosteens. So i would guess a few years down the line you folks in Florida will be seeing mangosteens on your market shelves, hopefully at affordable prices!

[behlgarden]

Those look really nice and fresh. I got disappointed by trying one here that was not fresh.  A tip, Rambutans taste horrible if they are not fresh, if shell cover turns dark brown, dont eat. at least this is what I found. This is not the case with Lychee that tends to hold its flavour and texture somewhat

[fruitlovers]

Those look really nice and fresh. I got disappointed by trying one here that was not fresh.  A tip, Rambutans taste horrible if they are not fresh, if shell cover turns dark brown, dont eat. at least this is what I found. This is not the case with Lychee that tends to hold its flavour and texture somewhat

Those hairy splinterns can turn dark and the rambutan will still taste fine. Once the whole fruit turns black ofcourse it's too late!

[MarinFla]

Those look really nice and fresh. I got disappointed by trying one here that was not fresh.  A tip, Rambutans taste horrible if they are not fresh, if shell cover turns dark brown, dont eat. at least this is what I found. This is not the case with Lychee that tends to hold its flavour and texture somewhat

They were so fresh that the juice was dripping on my clothes and down my arms... so I had to use a big towel like a bib or I couldn't sit on the couch to eat them....going for a road trip back to Western Beef!

[FloridaGreenMan]

Marin
I already ate the ones you brought me so I stopped by the Boca store and bought a 5lb box. They just got a fresh shipment and for $15 a box, they are awesome.
Yes that mango tree near my driveway is the Pinsenmun (PSM)

[Tim]

I can't wait till local shops carry Guatemalan rambutans.  Only thing they're selling at the moment are prematurely picked Vietnamese grown rambutans 

[Pan Dulce]

I was fortunate to eat some yellow mamonchinos on one Costa trip, I've never seen them since.  Oscar, how do they compare to the reds there on the big island?  Are they just the "wild types" or do people try to improve them?

Most of the markets up here have the those Guatemalan ones as well but 4.99 a lb.  Local lychees are only 3.99 lb.

[MarinFla]

Marin
I already ate the ones you brought me so I stopped by the Boca store and bought a 5lb box. They just got a fresh shipment and for $15 a box, they are awesome.
Yes that mango tree near my driveway is the Pinsenmun (PSM)

WOW Awesome....So glad you posted this!! I was going to drop a box at your door on my way out to lunch tomorrow afternoon! You would have been sick trying to eat all the fruit that wouldn't fit in the fridge LOL

[fruitlovers]

I was fortunate to eat some yellow mamonchinos on one Costa trip, I've never seen them since.  Oscar, how do they compare to the reds there on the big island?  Are they just the "wild types" or do people try to improve them?

Most of the markets up here have the those Guatemalan ones as well but 4.99 a lb.  Local lychees are only 3.99 lb.

No they are not wild types. All of the rambutan selections we have here are cultivars, mostly from Malaysia, Indonesia, or Thailand.. There are a couple of yellow types and both are quite good. I like them better than most of the reds. There also some good orange types. But just generalizing as there are around a dozen+ cultivars here. There was a lot of excitement about rambutans when they were first introduced here around 20 years ago. At that time a lot of farmers jumped on the bandwagon and all planted rambutans. Ofcourse a few years down the line there was a glut on the market and they couldn't hardly give them away. I know several farmers that have cut down or vastly reduced their rambutan orchards. 

[HMHausman]

These fruits have definitely been treated with something.  They have been on my counter top for days in AC and no change to the exterior color.  Lychees, fresh picked,  turn very quickly in the open air.  Wonder what they sprayed them with.

Harry

[fruitlovers]

These fruits have definitely been treated with something.  They have been on my counter top for days in AC and no change to the exterior color.  Lychees, fresh picked,  turn very quickly in the open air.  Wonder what they sprayed them with.

Harry

I would guess some type of wax, parafin? Somethng like liquid Buddy Tape?  I have some publications on post harvest treatment of rambutans and could look it up if you're terribly interested? BTW, rambutans turn black a whole lot faster than lychees do!

[Pan Dulce]

Hey hey just a slip of the fingers, figure of speech or whatever... seems all the info I get on the yellow varieties, are described as "wild types," I guess in relation to their biogeography in Malaysia, or maybe being unimproved there as well. 

Orange ones though! We are seriously rambutan challenged over here.

Anyways, whenever I buy them in south C. America, they go almost blackish in 2-3 days after buying.  I think its best to buy a pound or two every few days, unless you're a gorger. Probably cold storage, fungicides, wax, or some other goodies Harry.



 

[MarinFla]

I went back today to Western Beef in Boca to buy another 5# box but all they had were the rambutans in the open display....I did notice on this trip back that some of them were beginning to turn black...(and there were people scooping up the black ones, eeewww especially when there were pretty yellow and red ones right there!) I hope they are going to be getting more shipments. I bought 3# and will call tomorrow to ask if they are getting more. They are so juicy and sweet for grocery store fruit.

[Mike T]

Yellow rambutan R156 has one of the best flesh yields,is big and crispy and rather whitish flesh.It is not as sweet however as some of the best classic reds.

[vitiga]

Any scions or small marcottes available ? I am looking for superior varieties of rambutan including yellow ones. Thanks to pm me if available.

[Finca La Isla]

Costa Rica has pretty much made a transition from seedling rambutan, which was introduced by Chiquita, to asexually reproduced trees.  Along the road or in stores you will see 'mamonchino' injertado, which means grafted.  Of course Oscar's translation is correct but people call anything or anyone oriental, 'Chino'.  It's kind of annoying to Japanese and Koreans!
In making selections locally we have a very interesting yellow rambutan that loses presentation quickly but has wonderful taste.  I have two other selections I have made that compare well with the Asian selections that were brought by the EARTH university.
During the last year I have eliminated several rambutan trees because the market is not as good as it once was.  A few years ago I was sought out for the quality of my rambutan but there is a lot of rambutan now.  I am planting in its place more Langsat, pulusan, durian, and experimenting with cherapu and some others in the works.  Rambutan as a business is done here although the tree sales continue good, more of a sign that getting out was right.
Peter