What the heck is that? Rambutan

Here's a fruit I enjoy two ways!

Baby, you're a firework!

It's the rambutan, a tropical shelled fruit that is similar to lychees and longan fruits. You can get all three in Chinatown, although this past year lychees seemed to be on the verge of a crossover breakthrough to "regular" fruit stands. All three have shells that you can split with a thumbnail and a sweet white fruit inside. 

They're great to pack along on a trip, since they don't bruise, don't require washing, and are very refreshing.

We mean no harm to your planet

To me, rambutans have the best flavor of the three.

And when you're done snacking on the fruit, you're left with the second enjoyable feature: the shell is suitable for art projects. Or, for the more mean-spirited among us, for freaking out others. A discarded shell will confuse and even terrify: alien invasion? Tarantula casings? Nothing good, for sure.