So are Indian mangoes worth the steep price tag? For Schueller, it's a close call. His favorite, he says, is the green Keittmango, grown next to the Salton Sea in the Coachella Valley; they'll come into season in July. "The Indian mangoes are just as good," he says, "but the price is so high."
But for me, it was the best $35 I've spent all year.
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food@latimes.com
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A wide world of flavor, texture and color
Indian mango varieties
Though there are hundreds of mango varieties grown in India, only three are available in the U.S.
Alphonso: Sweet, soft-fleshed and nearly fiberless, with golden yellow skin that may be blushed with red, this variety is well known throughout India. Harvested from March to June.
Kesar: Small to medium-size, it has a green skin that doesn't necessarily change color when fully ripe. Check for ripeness with a delicate squeeze. It takes its name from the Hindi word for saffron, due to its spicy perfume and orange flesh. It is picked from May to June in its northern home state of Gujarat.
Banganpalli: Large, oval, and golden yellow, with a distinct aroma. Peeling its thin, smooth skin reveals a firm, meaty, fiberless, sweet yellow flesh. Harvested in southern India from April to June.
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Mango varieties widely available in the U.S.
Tommy Atkins: Growers favor this large, colorful variety (its "blush" is mostly red) for good looks, a long shelf life and a fibrous flesh, which helps it endure global transit. Comparing apples to mangoes, this Red Delicious of the mango world has only fair flavor but is widely available through most of the year.
Haden: A descendant of the Tommy Atkins, this yellow-orange to red fruit is medium to large in size and known for its high sweetness and moderate fiber. It's available October through June.
Kent: Large, with a greenish yellow skin and a bit of red blush, it has rich sweetness and nearly no fiber. Available October through April from South America.
Ataulfo: This small mango has a bright yellow skin and sweet, soft buttery flesh, and very little seed fiber. It's sometimes called a Manila or Mexican mango and is also sold under the brand name Champagne. Available in the spring through early summer; now is peak season.
Keitt: Harvested green before full maturity, this very large fruit, developed in Florida, can be used for Asian green mango recipes. It can also be left to ripen to orange-yellow, for full-on eat-out-of-hand flavor. The season is May through September.
