628389 Tue Jun 16 08:05:03 -0700 2009 10 22 Quebec (including Montreal) 0 4777346 when I find something unusual or noteworthy I feel compelled to give fellow hounds a heads up. Yesterday I was in Metro and stumbled across fresh lichee. I must admit I was skeptical as I dont know how to judge ripeness in these fantastic fruits. I bought two prepackeaged offerings both equally sweet, delicious and ripe. YUM!! Tue Jun 16 08:05:03 -0700 2009 144380 crispy1 1 4777640 Ummm, lychees have been around for ages, and available pretty much anywhere. Just beware of the big golf ball in the middle but otherwise a delectable fruit. A little labour intensive but also great to cook with. Tue Jun 16 09:10:11 -0700 2009 4777346 118582 maisonbistro 2 4777870 I always buy Fresh Lychees from the Asian grocery store in La Cite Market. They have two different kinds of Lychees and I think I bought a whole package for $1.25 (special). Also National supermarket on Sherbrooke st and Prince Albert in Westmount has Lychees as well as other hard to find Asian fruits. They even carry Dragon Fruit which is really hard to find here. 4903 Sherbrooke Rue Ouest, Westmount, QC H3Z 1H2 in between Claremont & Prince-Albert (Cross Street: Sherbrooke RUE O and Prince-Albert AV) Phone: (514) 484-3541 Tue Jun 16 09:59:07 -0700 2009 4777640 283184 Alyson777 3 4778025 «They even carry Dragon Fruit which is really hard to find here.» Not really. Chez Louis at the Jean Talon Market almost always carries it, as do the various Kim Phat stores around town. I've also seen them at other Chinese/pan-Asian stores like Marché Hawaï and the nexus of stores around Van Horne and Victoria (Marché Victoria Oriental, Kim Hour, etc.).There are other places, too, though they appear not to have been caught in my sieve of a brain. Tue Jun 16 10:29:18 -0700 2009 4777870 10520 carswell 4 4778063 That's good to know! I never heard of Marche Hawai where is that? I will check out Kim Phat I didn't see it the last time I was there but maybe I didn't notice. Great! Tue Jun 16 10:37:23 -0700 2009 4778025 283184 Alyson777 5 4778094 1999 Marcel Laurin, Saint-Laurent, QC, 514 856-0226. The name's spelled with only one "i" btw (no idea why). It's a great store, though I don't find the produce section to be their strongest point. The Kim Phat on Goyer and Côte-des-Neiges had dragon fruit this spring. I don't go there or any other KPh store frequently enough to know whether they stock it every week but I've often seen it there. Tue Jun 16 10:43:41 -0700 2009 4778063 10520 carswell 6 4778151 Thank you so much! Tue Jun 16 10:56:29 -0700 2009 4778094 283184 Alyson777 6 4778251 I have also seen and purchased dragon fruit at Loblaws (St. Jacques) and IGA in the CSL shopping center - but not consistenly. Tue Jun 16 11:24:27 -0700 2009 4778094 118582 maisonbistro 7 4793077 Saw some today at both ExoFruits on CDN and the Metro in the Wilderton shopping centre. Sun Jun 21 17:28:46 -0700 2009 4778251 10520 carswell 3 5149866 Lychee are somewhat common now. You can find good ones at Sami Fruit (various locations). As for Dragon Fruit, they are semi-rare. IGA and Metro now carry almost rotten ones at outrageous price (almost 5$ each). Asian groceries will be more reasonable but i do not like the ones at Marche Hawai. They were grayish when i got them. Mon Nov 02 13:04:53 -0800 2009 4777870 1121147 SourberryLily 1 4779971 The best deals in lychee tend to be in July in Chinatown or in big Asian grocery stores. You can get a gigantic bag of them for about $6-10. I wasn't particularly impressed with them last season, I am hoping they are better this season. If you are already finding good fruit, it is a hopeful sign. Tue Jun 16 20:52:12 -0700 2009 4777346 89969 moh