Geo wrote:Mostly what I found Back Home (KC and Montreal) were pretty regular-sized and -shaped Mexican fruits, which the cutter thingy does a pretty good job on. Except that it doesn't shave the seed closely enough, so I end up chawing on the damn thing, thereby getting juice and pulp all over my face.
so I end up chawing on the damn thing, thereby getting juice and pulp all over my face.
mcg wrote:Anyone familiar with Alphonso mango? How do these differ from a more typical mango?
David Hammond wrote:mcg wrote:Anyone familiar with Alphonso mango? How do these differ from a more typical mango?
These are probably the most consistently satisfying mangoes I've had. I bought a box of them -- "very ripe" - at Caputo's in Bloomingdale right before the Fourth. About 20 for $2 -- we gave a bunch to the guy who cleans our house and still had several days of mango-rific bliss: very tender, sweet, and seemingly easier to peel than the more common, bigger magenta-lime green-yellow variety. The season for them may be just about over.
viaChgo wrote:David Hammond wrote:mcg wrote:Anyone familiar with Alphonso mango? How do these differ from a more typical mango?
These are probably the most consistently satisfying mangoes I've had. I bought a box of them -- "very ripe" - at Caputo's in Bloomingdale right before the Fourth. About 20 for $2 -- we gave a bunch to the guy who cleans our house and still had several days of mango-rific bliss: very tender, sweet, and seemingly easier to peel than the more common, bigger magenta-lime green-yellow variety. The season for them may be just about over.
Are you referring to the Ataulfo mango? The Alphonso, as far as as I know, only come from India and are very scarce. I believe they are no longer available for the year. The Alphonso is often considered the "King of Mangoes." And their price usually reflects that. Sadly, I have yet to get my hands on one!
viaChgo wrote:The Alphonso, as far as as I know, only come from India and are very scarce. I believe they are no longer available for the year. The Alphonso is often considered the "King of Mangoes." And their price usually reflects that. Sadly, I have yet to get my hands on one!
The Times of India wrote:Cultivators and scientists from the agriculture university at Dapoli have predicted a record low for the crop this year, which may be about a third of the normal produce.
There is a combination of reasons for this phenomenon, say scientists; the rise in temperature this winter, the subsequent dew and then the unseasonal showers have resulted in a wide fluctuation of overall day and night temperatures in the months of December and January.
The Times of India wrote:Alphonso cultivators from Deogad Shridhar Ogale and Sudhir Joshi said the total crop this year would be around 35% of the normal annual yield. Raut said some farmers, who had opted for the sulphur spray and other organic pesticides a few days ago, might be able to retrieve the situation.
viaChgo wrote:Is it hard to go back to the run-of-the-mill mango after you've tasted the Alphonso?
ronnie_suburban wrote:viaChgo wrote:Is it hard to go back to the run-of-the-mill mango after you've tasted the Alphonso?
From my perspective, not so much. Eating a good, ripe Mango is always satisfying for me. But if you grew up with Alphonsos or have eaten them for many years, perhaps that wouldn't be true.
=R=
sazerac wrote:ronnie_suburban wrote:viaChgo wrote:Is it hard to go back to the run-of-the-mill mango after you've tasted the Alphonso?
From my perspective, not so much. Eating a good, ripe Mango is always satisfying for me. But if you grew up with Alphonsos or have eaten them for many years, perhaps that wouldn't be true.
=R=
Meant to respond to this long ago - and the recent NPR story reminded me again.
Having grown up with mangoes (but not so much alphonsos, which are available predominantly in the western part of India - not where I grew up) I just want to add that to me mango is not really a fruit. It is a season. And the beauty of the season is how over its course the varieties and flavors change and progress, and seeking out* fleeting varieties. So to concur with the above npr article - although Alphonso may be king, there are a lot of other mangoes ~sigh~ that I smell in my dreams this time of year.
*such as this hunt
ronnie_suburban wrote:According to my sources, the bulk of the crop was a couple weeks late, monsoons came a couple weeks earlier than expected and the crop has been quite adversely effected. I suppose that some more 'early picked' stuff, which was in transit before the storms hit, could still be on its way but that's probably going to be about it for this year.
electric mullet wrote:I spotted cases of Alphonso mangos at Patel Bros. on Devon today for $32/dozen. All the flats were sealed shut so couldn't get a look, but there were approx. 2 dozen cases.
Rene G wrote:Absolutely inedible and a complete waste of money. I've had the Alphonsos from India in previous years and they were great. Wait until next year.
shyne wrote:They were at Patel Bros. on Devon a week ago, Sunday. $40 for a case of a dozen.
Actually, it could have been at Fresh Farms (a couple of doors down from Patel Bros.) I can't recall now which one, or if it was both, that had them.
shyne