1. In a small s aucepan, steep teabag in water for 5 minutes. Stir in sugar . Cook over medium-high heat for about 20 minutes or until tea is reduced by about three-quarters and has a light, syrupy consistency. Set aside to cool.
2. In the meantime, use a small knife to make a shallow cut (about 1 cm) around the circumference of the mangosteens being careful to cut only the rinds and not the soft underlying flesh. Gently twist open along the cuts to remove upper rinds.
3. Make a shallow, lengthwise cut around the rambutans being careful not to cut into the fruit. Peel off one half of the rinds.
4. Place two mangosteens, one rambutan, and some pear slices on a plate. Drizzle one-quarter of the jasmine syrup (about 15 mL / 1 tbsp.) onto the plate around the fruits.

VARIATION: Simply serve the fruits with some lightly sweetened jasmine tea. It's a marriage made in heaven!

*TIPS FROM THE AIDE-GOURMET: The rinds of the mangosteen and the rambutan are not edible. Some mangosteen segments contain tender, edible seeds, whereas the rambutan contains a single, inedible seed.