Monday, May 27, 2013

A good time to be in Taiwan


Taiwan is a food-lover’s paradise, and in late May two of its greatest seasonal specialties make their appearance, shu mei (berries) and Yu-he-bao lychees.   

Shu mei are the lesser known of the two. The name means literally tree-berry, officially Myrica rubra. Since I am in Taiwan I will call them Shu-mei  (樹梅 ), their local name; in China they are known as yang-mei (梅). There is also a host of English names, among them red bayberry. (They are related to the waxy bayberries that grow in the Eastern U.S., the ones made into candles. although the edible ones are juicy, not waxy.)


One of the most welcome sights in Taiwan—a bowl of shu-mei. (Click on photos to enlarge.)


The extremely beautiful berries are bright red in color, darkening to purple as they ripen. They are sweet yet very tart, and have one of the best fruit flavors I have ever experienced. The season only lasts a week or so, and shu-mei are often not seen in regular stores. This year I located my supply from a street vendor in the Shi-lin night market.


The jewel-like shu-mei as displayed by their vendor.



Shu-mei are one of the most delicate of fruits, so they should be consumed immediately, admittedly not a very difficult task.  Within a day or two they will turn to vinegar, even in the refrigerator.

They are best simply eaten out of hand. They have a stone in the middle, kind of like a cherry, and the fruit is composed of juicy cells that radiate from the seed to the outside of the fruit. The darker berries are sweeter and less acid, yet the sprightliness of the shu-mei comes from their tartness, so if you insist on very ripe ones, the flavor won’t be as exciting.  


I attempted to cut one berry open to reveal the internal structure.



I did try to get the juice out of a few and make a sort of shumei-ade. It was a beautiful pink-red color, and very delicious, but these berries are so precious that unless I had my own tree, I would prefer to eat them fresh.

The evergreen trees are very handsome with their long leaves, and even more ornamental when bearing  their bright fruit. They grow in a number of warm places, and I am sure that they would do well in Florida.



I wish I were in a position to grow a few of these shu-mei trees.  Source: http://034733543-2.tw.tranews.com/



Shu-mei are surpassingly beautiful berries. Yu-he-bao lychees, on the other hand, do not have such a prepossessing appearance. Regular lychees, as you may know, are bright red with a scaly outer shell, juicy white flesh, and a large seed that often takes up half the fruit. Yu he bao are green with a reddish tinge; even when ripe, they never turn completely red, and the shell is prickly rather than scaly.


Everyone in Taiwan knows what a treat is waiting in these plain-looking fruits.



They are larger than most other lychees, and amazingly, when you open them, the seeds are very tiny, giving you a generous quantity of  extra-juicy flesh. Most people also believe that Yu he bao have the best flavor-- they are very sweet, with a tiny sub-acid addition that underlines the taste and gives it complexity.  The season is much longer than for shu-mei. As a rule, the first lychee to appear in May are the Yu-he-bao, and their season can last over a month.

The Yu-he-bao lychees cut open show their plentiful meat and small seeds.

These fruits are a perfect example of something better enjoyed in its native habitat. I can’t imagine that shu-mei could travel at all, and while I have eaten lychees in America, they were only a shadow of their luscious perfection in Taiwan, consumed within hours of their picking. In the same vein, the crisp tartness of good fall apples, or the honeyed sweetness of fruits like mayapples, will have to remain a closed book to those who live in warm climates.

Taiwan has many types of exceptional produce and a plethora of regional dishes, but when shu-mei or Yu-he-bao are available, other specialties are forgotten, and my life suddenly centers around them. They are such a treat that my top priority becomes getting as many as I possibly can.


A fresh package of shu mei, about to disappear.




(All photos by the author, except where noted.)

29 comments:

  1. Those shu mei looks like crystallized raspberries or rough rubies! I can't wait to try some one day.

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    1. Hello Coulda shoulda, They really are remarkably beautiful, and perhaps they look even better when you can anticipate their refreshing flavor. I hope that you do get the chance to try some.

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  2. Hello, Jim,

    I have experienced (and very much enjoyed) lychees, but the shu mei are something totally new to me. I note your comment that they might do well in Florida, and I will do some research into that. I don't have a green thumb but would nonetheless love to baby a shu mei tree!

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    1. Hello Mark, I must have had you in the back of my mind when I mentioned Florida. A lot of tropical fruits grow there, and there are special nurseries and dedicated groups of people who specialize in these exotics.

      I understand that the tree is a popular ornamental in Japan, so it would be a good choice for your garden, with the added benefit of the berries!

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  3. The shu mei berries do look rather special. I would love to try them, but obviously travelling to Taiwan in May is the only option. They look very decorative when growing too.
    I can see that the Yu-he-bao lychees have a much smaller seed in the middle than the ones we can buy, but presumably the texture and flavour is similar.
    Happy shu mei eating whilst they last.

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    1. Hello Rosemary, I believe that they would grow in any semi-tropical climate, but in most places are probably a garden or specialty item.

      You are correct--the Yu he bao are a variety of ordinary lychee. Their relationship to regular ones is perhaps that of Cox's Orange pippin to Red Delicious or other supermarket apples. They are a connoisseur's variety.

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  4. Hi Jim,
    They look delicious. There is a phrase in Welsh "Shw Mae", pronounced the same I believe as your Shu Mei. It means "how are you"! I will always think of these as "how are you berries" :-)
    Di
    x

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    1. Hello Dianne, Since I always welcome their appearance, it's nice that they return the greeting. It's difficult to describe Chinese pronunciations, but the English words "shoe may" are pretty close.

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  5. The tree laden with shu-mei looks gorgeous and I bet the taste is great too. But if the season only lasts a week or so, and shu-mei are often not seen in ordinary shops, most citizens will have to die wondering. Unless they are protecting an elite market, I would be asking to scientists to see if the season could be extended.

    Because the shu-mei really are jewel-like, do they ever appear in paintings or in the decorative arts?

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    1. The problem with scientific development of shu-mei is that they would become large and sweet, but probably totally insipid. Part of their charm is that they do have a short and undependable season, and must be sought out.

      Your question about their appearance in art is very interesting. I recall seeing red berries in Chinese and Japanese paintings, so in the future I'll have to observe more closely. Also, the tree is grown as an ornamental, so the foliage might appear without the berries.

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  6. They look so good and juicy! When I make it to Taiwan, I intend to pig out and eat everything including shu mei berries and Yu-he-bao lychees. Will have to time my trip carefully so I can enjoy some shu meis ;)

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    1. Hello Loi, Shu-mei are a hit-and-miss affair. Some years I don't see them at all. But don't worry; no one has ever starved in Taiwan!

      The yu he bao, on the other hand, are more reliable and abundant. Late May and all of June, and possibly even early July, they can be found (as well as the red kinds), but unless you love unrelenting heat, I would avoid Taiwan summers.

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    2. I actually would visit Taiwan and China together. Visit the village on the mainland where Mom and Dad are from! Sadly it probably will be in July or August as those are my slow months.

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    3. Visiting your ancestral village would be quite a moving experience. July and August are broiling hot months in Taiwan, but if that is the only time available, you can still have a great trip--lots of places might even be less crowded.

      Did you mean for this year? I am planning a trip back to Ohio for this summer, but whenever you are in Taiwan, please let me know!
      --Jim

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  7. Maybe they would be a good alternative to vinegar, once they's turned into that! In all my years in Asia I've never had them, but now you've put me on a quest.

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    1. Hello Columnist, I am sure that they would make good vinegar. The problem is that, unless you have your own tree and a bumper crop, that vinegar would be pretty expensive.

      I understand that yang-mei are produced on a commercial scale in China; perhaps in a Chinese grocery you could find the vinegar already bottled.

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  8. Dearest Jim,
    You are quite a taste bud teaser by telling to click the photo to enlarge! That made my mouth water. This is one of THE biggest rewards of living in the Asian tropics; having access to exotic fruits like the shu mei and other lychee varieties.
    Enjoy them! Loved your last sentence: about to disappear...
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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    1. Hello Mariette, I have been introduced to so many new fruits since I came here. However, lately I have noticed a trend for stores to prefer to stock more "normal" fruits, like apples, oranges and bananas, and to cut down on some of the exotic varieties.

      Today I went back to the market to get more shu-mei, but the lady who sells them wasn't there--I hope that the season has not ended yet!

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  9. The shu-mei are gorgeous. What a treat--especially when they are only available for a week. That must be a special week! There is nothing like a good berry.

    I have bough lychees at Asian markets, but never really gotten a good one. Maybe one day I will have one in their native habitat.

    Happy spring!

    Jen

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    1. Hi Jen, The lychees are not as delicate as the shu-mei, but they still have a very short shelf-life after being picked. Even when the imported ones are o.k., they are still nothing like the local ones. In season they are usually very abundant and cheap, each one perfect and dripping with juice.

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  10. Dear Jim,
    Here I am arriving late to the party! I hope all the lychees are not gone!
    I love lychees. For me, no visit to a Chinese restaurant is complete without some lychees and ice cream although they all tinned of course so I expect not as tasty as having them fresh.
    I have never tasted shu mei. You say that they are tart. Like a raspberry? When we return to Australia, AGA and I intend to start investigating Asia and so perhaps I shall be lucky enough to try one then!
    Bye for now
    Kirk

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    1. Hi Kirk, We ate the last of the shu-mei today, but the lychees are just beginning! You should make it a goal in your life to taste fresh lychees not too far from where they grow.

      The shu-mei are much tarter than raspberries. They are not as sour as a lemon, but more in that direction, unless they are fully ripe.

      Good luck in planning your trip to Asia.

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  11. Hello hello Jim! Sorry for the long delay in visiting--but now that I'm here, I'm so glad to read another fascinating post! I'm once again having to make a special trip to the Asian market as a result of extreme cravings for the delicious foods you write about-- even if they're just a shadow of the delicious fruits, there is a serious lychee deficiency in my house that must be remedied... We're considering a trip to Asia next year-- I think special consideration to the fruits in season will have to factor into our planning...
    Warm regards,
    Erika

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    1. Hello Erika, I am already in Cleveland for my vacation, so am now enjoying American fruits, and it looks like a good harvest this summer. We have been getting great apricots, a particular favorite of mine, including some delicious white and purple versions, in addition to the traditional orange ones. I am also determined to find some sour cherries this year, which I like to eat fresh, although perhaps I can talk my mother into baking a cherry pie.

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  12. Welcome home, Jim! It must be wonderful to be back with family. We're enjoying the apricots here in Michigan as well, not to mention the small sweet Michigan strawberries-- delicious! We've also been spending time getting to know the Cleveland area as our eldest son is going off to college in the fall in nearby Wooster. It's a lovely area to explore-- enjoy your time in beautiful Ohio!
    Warm regards,
    Erika

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  13. enjoy your posts it is very interesting to read thank you I really liked your article

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    1. Hello, I'm glad you liked this article. Thanks for stopping by.

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  14. hello Jim! Hope you are having a wonderful summer and enjoying your vacation back 'home.' The fruit sounds delish and they are just so beautiful- I would want them in bowls all around the house!
    I want to thank you for your very kind bd/anniversary wishes last month. Your note was so on-point about us being able turn a simple excursion into a "lark." We both loved that phrase... and we've now adopted it, thanks to you! Thank you, that was a gift!
    all my best,
    joan

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    1. Hello Joan, Sorry I missed this comment--it somehow got stuck in the interstices of Blogger!

      The shu mei are indeed beautiful, but so soft that they must be kept refrigerated, and even then used as soon as possible--kind of like raspberries.

      I love your blog, and always enjoy the vicarious taste of New England that you provide,

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