Longan Delivery or Pickup

The longan fruit comes from a tree of the same name. This tropical tree belongs to the soapberry family, of which the rambutan and lychee are also members. The longan fruit's musky sweetness has similar characteristics as the lychee, only less aromatic. 

The tree is native to China and tropical Asia. In Cantonese, the word for longan literally translates to "dragon eye," which fits because the fruit resembles an eyeball when shelled. The longan's black seed shows through the translucent flesh in an eerie resemblance to an eyeball pupil.

The thin, firm shell peels easily when ripe. You can squeeze out the pulp whole like you might a grape from its skin. When the longan's moisture content rises, the fruit becomes more tender, making it harder to shell. The tiny, hard, round seed has an enamel-like quality.

Experts disagree on where the longan tree originated. Some believe the longan tree came from the mountainous region separating China and Myanmar, and others claim India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, New Guinea, and Cambodia are possible origination points. References to the longan can be found as far back as the Han Dynasty in 200 BC, when the emperor had longan trees planted in his palace gardens. These trees failed, but the longan tree later flourished in other parts of China. Fujian and Guangdong were two such regions that, even today, constitute a significant part of the production of longan.

As the Chinese immigrated to Australia in the 1800s, they brought the longan tree with them. The longan tree arrived in Thailand later that century and, by the early 1900s, had made its way to Hawaii and Florida. Warm weather and sandy soil allowed the longan tree to thrive in these locations. While hard to believe, many consider the longan fruit new to the world because it has been around for so long. History confirms its age by locating the first mention of the longan fruit outside of China in 1790.

Longans grow in bunches, similar to grapes, yet with larger fruit. The thin skin should be soft to the touch but not mushy. When ripe, the longan flesh pops out of the skin with a gentle squeeze. In some cases, you might need to score the skin first. Ripe longans have tan or light brown skin when ripe.

After picking, longans continue to ripen fast. Many growers cut the branches holding the longan bunches to slow the ripening process. When selecting longans, you should look for those with the stems still attached, as this indicates they've been appropriately harvested. Any excessive tenderness or dark brown spotting indicates the longan has passed optimal ripeness. This doesn't mean it has spoiled, but it's close. The shell's tenderness varies due to either early harvest, variety, weather conditions, or transport/storage conditions.

Longans don't have a very long shelf life, but that's okay. Most fruits don't. Longans are delicate, too, so care must be taken when storing and shipping. A longan will last a few days at room temperature. When stored in a cool, dry place out of sunlight, they can last up to a week. In your refrigerator, they can last up to 2 weeks at most. You can freeze longans using vacuum-sealed bags for more extended storage.

You can save time by shopping for longans on the Instacart app. All you need to do is add longans to your cart and check out. After check-out, an Instacart shopper will assemble your order for in-store pickup in as little as 2 hours!