Closely allied to the glamorous lychee, in the family Sapindaceae, the longan, or lungan, also known as dragon’s eye or eyeball, and as mamoncillo chino in Cuba, has been referred to as the “little brother of the lychee”, or li-chihnu, “slave of the lychee”. Botanically, it is placed in a separate genus, and is currently designated Dimocarpus longan Lour. (syns. Euphoria longan Steud.; E. longana Lam.; Nephelium longana Cambess.). According to the esteemed scholar, Prof. G. Weidman Groff, the longan is less important to the Chinese as an edible fruit, more widely used than the lychee in Oriental medicine.

The Dragon fruit also known as the Pitaya in the Southern Americas as well as Asia is quickly become known here in the United States. Right now we are shipping the red flesh variety .South Florida being as close to the equator as you can get seems to be the perfect growing area for this incredible fruit. We have been working on this item for quite a few years and is now making its way from the fancier restaurants to peoples homes. With a growing season from June to late December there is plenty of time to get your hands on this beauty.

High in vitamin C , they are rich in phosphorus and calcium and are free radical fighters known to contain phytoalbumin antioxidants and also have been shown to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. I know for a fact my wife, from Costa Rica, eats them regularly and they for sure help her with stomach ails. There is something to be said about a medicinal way of life.

Best served chilled, I like to make melon balls from them. You eat the flesh and seeds inside skin by cutting the fruit in half first. The flavor is mild and refreshing – a cross between a Kiwi and Watermelon. If you want to kick it up a notch try drizzling my Golden Passion fruit on it for a wow factor! Dragon fruit Martini’s are in. Makes a wonderful juice as well. Sorbets and ice cream are being done and Bacardi has even launched a new rum flavor with dragon fruit. The future of this fruit is bright: why not try some today – we are ready for shipping.

Fresh Gardens are growers and shippers of rare tropical fruits. Many items you may have never heard of, and that is what makes them so exciting. Most have been brought from South and central America and Asia. Although well known in those areas very few know of them here in the United States. That’s my job as a grower of these items: to excite and get you into trying these exotic tropical fruit for the first time!

There are only a few areas in the United states these are grown and Miami, Florida is one of them!

Hooks – (nut bam than ao) – used as fasterners and holes

sleeve  - (ong tay)

inside seam – duong ben

main hook and hole – nut moc ket thuc

back flap – ta sao

collar button – khuy co

collar – co ao

seam – duong may

sleeve – ong tay

waiste – kich (eo)

front flap – ta truoc

Depending on the situation, other accessories include pointed leaf hat (in Hue) or khan dong for wedding are also worn with the ao dai.