Exotics
Tropical Southeast Asia, the volcanic islands of the Indian Ocean, the highlands of South America, the market gardens of southern France. The collection spans four continents because the best of each variety grows where it grows. Every fruit sourced through Rungis Market in Paris or direct from named producers, to the standard the professional kitchen trade demands.
The depth runs year-round — Peruvian mango, dragon fruit, Honeyglow pineapple and La Baroze passion fruit through all twelve months — but summer brings the most variety, when rambutan, mangosteen, lychees and Brazilian Sugarloaf overlap with the Charentais melon season.
The Varieties
Peruvian Mango — rich, smooth, sweet, low in fibre, clean finish. Peru's range of growing altitudes produces consistent quality across the year. Air-freighted, ripe on arrival.
Honeyglow Pineapple — a Costa Rican variety developed for sweetness and low acidity. Reliable, consistent, considerably sweeter than standard.
Brazilian Sugarloaf Pineapple — white-yellow flesh, virtually no acidity, a flavour of exceptional delicacy. The more refined of the two pineapples.
La Baroze Passion Fruit — sharp, intensely aromatic, tropical. A wrinkled shell indicates ripeness — counterintuitive but reliable. One of the most useful fruits in the kitchen for dressings, sauces and desserts.
La Pinède Kiwis — larger, more fragrant, more flavourful than standard kiwi. From the Adour Valley in southwest France.
Charentais Melon — the benchmark melon. Small, round, deep orange flesh of extraordinary fragrance and sweetness. A European fruit in a tropical range, but without a better home.
Lychees — among the finest available, from the volcanic soils of Réunion. Floral, intensely sweet, with a faintly grape-like quality.
Rambutan — a Southeast Asian relative of the lychee, covered in soft red spines. Inside, translucent white flesh that's sweet, gently floral, slightly firmer than lychee.
Mangosteen — widely considered one of the finest fruits in the world. Deep purple shell concealing brilliant white segments, with a flavour that balances sweetness, acidity and floral complexity in a way nothing else replicates.
Dragon Fruit — vivid pink-red skin with green-tipped scales, white flesh scattered with small black seeds. Mild, subtly sweet, refreshing. Its real value is visual and textural rather than flavour intensity.
Recipes & Ideas
The simplest applications are often the most effective. Charentais melon with Jamón Ibérico — the classic combination of sweet melon and cured ham. Mangosteen segments alongside coconut sorbet. Lychees in a champagne jelly. Rambutan served cold with crème fraîche. Passion fruit pulp stirred through a posset or syllabub.
For more involved applications: a Peruvian mango and passion fruit tart. Dragon fruit in a fruit salad where its colour and texture add contrast. A Honeyglow pineapple carpaccio with mint and lime.
Several varieties work naturally in savoury cooking. Mango alongside grilled fish or prawns — a salsa with red onion, chilli, coriander and lime is one of the most versatile condiments of the summer. Passion fruit in dressings and vinaigrettes, where the sharp, aromatic pulp cuts oil cleanly. Charentais melon with charcuterie — duck prosciutto or saucisson work as well as the classic Parma ham. Lychees alongside scallops with a light ginger dressing — sweetness and fragrance complementing rather than competing.
Storage
Most of the collection arrives at or close to peak ripeness — several varieties are air-freighted specifically to preserve quality. The general rule is to refrigerate on arrival unless the fruit needs ripening, and to use promptly.
Air-freighted and perfectly ripe: Peruvian mango (fridge, two to three days) and La Baroze passion fruit (fridge, within a week — a wrinkled, dimpled shell is normal). Lychees, rambutan and dragon fruit all go straight in the fridge and want using promptly — lychees turn quickest, dragon fruit lasts a touch longer than the skin suggests. Mangosteen prefers cool room temperature for up to a week; refrigeration hardens the shell. Honeyglow pineapple keeps at room temperature for up to a week, refrigerated once cut. Brazilian Sugarloaf is more delicate — use promptly once cut. Charentais melons are sent ripe: refrigerate, but serve at room temperature for the full fragrance. La Pinède kiwis ripen at room temperature if needed, then go in the fridge.
Origins & Sourcing
Three growing regions feed the collection. Southeast Asia for dragon fruit, rambutan and mangosteen from Thailand. The Indian Ocean for Réunion lychees, grown on French volcanic soil. South America for Peruvian mango and La Baroze passion fruit. Costa Rica for the Honeyglow pineapple — a proprietary variety bred for sweetness and consistency. Brazil for the Sugarloaf, June through September. Europe for the two French products: La Pinède kiwis from the Adour Valley, and Charentais melons from the south of France.
Everything comes through Rungis Market in Paris — the world's largest professional food market and the primary supply point for France's restaurant trade. Two named brands feature: La Pinède for the kiwis, La Baroze for the passion fruit — both indicating specific production standards within their supply chains.
Mangoes and passion fruit are air-freighted because both are non-climacteric — they don't ripen after picking. Air freight lets them stay on the tree until genuinely ripe and reach us within days of harvest. The short shelf life on arrival is the trade-off for fruit that actually tastes as it should.
Delivery
Next-working-day UK courier — or choose your preferred delivery date at checkout. Orders before 2pm dispatch same day. Free weekday delivery over £225.
