Longing for that taste of juicy lychee that was so prolific this summer? Well, lychee’s cousin, the rambutan, might just satisfy that craving.

The 2012 rambutan season is under way, a bumper year for some farmers and not so for others. One Hawaii island farmer has a disappointing crop, the result of unusual weather patterns on the Hama­kua Coast. Another farmer closer to Hilo has trees that are loaded with this delicious Southeast Asian fruit.

Rambutan, the hairy lychee, bright red with soft, golden "bristles," is an exotic sight to see. Cut through the middle of this ovalish fruit to expose the grapelike flesh, a little whiter than the translucent lychee. The flavor is sweet with a hint of tartness, juicy and refreshing. A smallish seed in the middle is to be discarded when the fruit is devoured.

Best eaten fresh and out of hand, rambutan will provide a nice counterpoint to the steady supply of oranges, bananas, pineapples and papayas available from local fruit growers in farmers markets and supermarkets.

———

Hawaii food writer Joan Namkoong offers a weekly tidbit on fresh seasonal products, many of them locally grown.