Thread: Mangoes of Southwest Florida Anyone?

Originally Posted by Del1r1um

Ha ha, good tip... maybe I shouldn't have said that there is NO graceful way to eat them without getting messy (and I was really talking about the smallest mangoes). I should have said that there is no graceful way to eat them with some buddies from Sao Paulo without being made fun of for asking to get your mango cut up ... but even they cut up the bigger ones.

Oh, I forgot to say that of the three most common types we'd find.. the largest they called "bull's heart" (coracao de boi), the next they called "Tomy" (pronounced like Tommy - these are the kind that you probably see most often in a grocery store), and the really small ones called... well... they just called them manga.

O amigao, vamo chupar manga! In english the translation isn't pretty, but it is a welcomed sound in Brazil to those who like mango.

In Puerto Rico, on the east side of the Island there are these small Mangoes with much fibre that are eaten that way. I remember one in particular called pinapple(translated) with much fibre but sweet that are eaten Chupando style(skip the translation hehehe). Typically delivered in 5 gal pails and quickly devoured con todo el mundo chupando. A type of bonding hehehe.
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"Tommy" is Tommy Atkins over here. It is a commercial Mango of Florida(a seedling of the famous Haden mango) selected by growers and regected by the Mango Forum in Coral Gables, as they found it to be insipid with too much fiber(good shipper and colorful for people who think they should be red colored). It does produce heavily here in Florida and many of the Tropical areas. I feel sorry for people who have only made their evaluation of mangos based on this one.

I have a friend who slices them in thick steaks and puts them on the barbecue and eats them with his meal. I tried it, not too bad.

Most of the best Mangos as you are well aware are green colored to yellow, but would not ship well. So most people in colder latitudes never have any clue how good they can really be. And my favorite ones are the Asian varieties. Almost all of them can be eaten before they ripen crunchy like apples.

Asian varieties are very mild, and they are typically long and kidney bean shaped. Many Asians will not eat Indian varieties because of there slight turpentine taste.

Is bull's heart a late season mango? It could be the Keitt( believed to be seadling of Tommy Atkins) mango which is awesome and sometimes found late season in markets. This is one that I highly recommend for people to try.Normally mostly green, but colors up a bit when later in season) Season is August through Sept here in Florida. So many mid season varieties, so few early and late ones.

Literally thousands of different cultivars of Mangoes, all different tasting and looking. I think enthusiates in Florida have more available to select from if they look in the right spots.

Nearly anyone I have met from tropics that visits are always amazed that I have Mangoes they have never seen before. There are some really Mango nuts here in South Florida. Our little strip of paradise has played a major role in supplying and establishing mango varieties througout the tropics.
David Fairchild was a plant explorer and highly recommended you visit the Fairchild Gardens in Coral Gables during Mango season for the Mango Festival.
M

Originally Posted by Kingfish

Is bull's heart a late season mango? It could be the Keitt( believed to be seadling of Tommy Atkins).

I am not 100% but I do not believe so. I have been doing a bit of research, and even in english journal articles talking about fungi that affect mango plants refer to them as Coracao de Boi.

Probably my absolute favorite in terms of sweetness was the "espada".. but they were not very common in Sao Paulo. They are on the small side, and look pretty much like a spear point (why they call it sword instead of spear I know not).

Originally Posted by majurey

Pakistani Honey Mangoes are my favourite. When chilled, they have the consistency of sorbet, the sweetness of nectar, and a fragrance like being immersed in a tub of mango juice. They've just come out of season, which is disappointingly short every year (no more than 2 months).

Wow, what a beauty. You can get your vitamins just by looking at that intense picture. I love your description. You must be a true affecianado of the King of Fruits. Life tastes so good. Thank God!!!!

I have two mango trees, one is a Carrie and the other is a Dot. Both produce very good fruit. I do like fresh chilled mangoes, but I also like to cook with them. My favorite is to do a Bannana Foster type desert with mangoes. Melt butter, dark brown sugar and a touch of dark rum, once melted and bubbling, add fresh mangoes and coat the mangoes. Serve over vanilla ice cream, frozen vanilla yogart or pound cake. Also, mango pies, mango & black bean salsa or a mango upside down cake are also in my list of favorite mango recipes.

Man...I love mangos, I live in North Dade County...anytime you want to talk razors drop me a PM. I'll be over in a flash. Just have some mangoes ready OK. HOG

Originally Posted by lesshairy

I have two mango trees, one is a Carrie and the other is a Dot. Both produce very good fruit. I do like fresh chilled mangoes, but I also like to cook with them. My favorite is to do a Bannana Foster type desert with mangoes. Melt butter, dark brown sugar and a touch of dark rum, once melted and bubbling, add fresh mangoes and coat the mangoes. Serve over vanilla ice cream, frozen vanilla yogart or pound cake. Also, mango pies, mango & black bean salsa or a mango upside down cake are also in my list of favorite mango recipes.

Sounds delicious. I am more of a food guy than a desert guy but my wife loved your recipes, thank you very much. I actually like to throw some into stir fry dishes with chicken or fish.

Carrie is as smooth as silk. I believe it is a seedling of the Julie Mango which is similar. I don't think anyone would believe how silky smooth the Carrie is unless they actualy experienced it.

The Dot mango was named after Frank Smather's wife Dorothy from the Four Fillies Farm. They are very sweet, mine has failed to produce much yet. How is the production on yours? How was production on the east coast this year in general? We did not freeze, but we had chilling damage on coconuts. I never remember a winter like this past one in almost 30 years. You guys are a little warmer during winter than we are.

Originally Posted by Hogrider

Man...I love mangos, I live in North Dade County...anytime you want to talk razors drop me a PM. I'll be over in a flash. Just have some mangoes ready OK. HOG

You got it Hog. What could be better than razors and mangoes. This year was not the best year for production as you probably know living down here. Maybe next season we will have enough to fill up the saddles on your Hog. Pray for good weather.