Future's Fifth Florida Fruit Feast! (Plus Reviews)

[Future]

Gary, Bombay and PPK mangoes

[Future]

Ugly Betty, Juicy Peach (via Excalibur) and Coconut Cream (via Zill) mangoes

[Future]

I'm down with the king...Harry H displays Keow Savoey

[

[Future]

Guava, Khun See and Lemon Zest mangoes

[Future]

Lunch:

Hey Sleepdoc, I got my push-ups in today as a qualifier to get lunch. 

Venus, Pram Kai Mea, Edgar, ValCarrie

There are souls on this earth who still believe a mango is a mango.  The cure is to experience the range of flavours these beauties have to offer.  These 4 mangoes, offer such an experience.  I could find no fault with any yet they were all distinct in their own right.

Venus is all about that bass.  She is a big round mango with a big round bass heavy flavour.  Not spicy just deep.  The flesh is amazingly smooth and solid.  It is the kind of mango you could cut into cubes and it would easily hold form.  But she offers not just form but content.  Filled with rich and sweet tones, Venus is a gift of the Gods.

In contrast, ValCarrie is all about that treble.  High notes strike you with this mango, floral and piney it a good way.  Mid sized, this mango has much to offer in her package.  Mine was spotted heavily in black skin but had no issues on the inside.

Edgar is a classic mango.  The tone in between ValC and Venus.  Also smooth, this is a fine mango by any standard.  Rich orange flesh, hidden within striking pinky orange and yellow skin.  Classic.

Pram Kai Mea was smaller although I have had them larger and hidden is soft muted green skin.  On the outside it does not scream- eat me.  A cut of the knife reveals deep orange flesh.  Left to ripen this is arguably the sweetest mango around.  I caught a whiff of it on approach and could taste the sweetness before I actually took a bite.  It lacks complexity, true.  But so what.  Sometimes we just need stright up sweetness.

This was a stalemate lunch, in a good way.

My daughter put Edgar on her top 6 (working toward 10) list, all of which I have promised to get planted in the front yard.  So gods of mango genetics, please release this one.....soon.

[Future]

Dinner: Ivory, Coconut Cream

For dinner I finished what was left over from lunch and reaffirm how wonderful Venus, VC, Edgar and a fully ripe PKM are in their own right.  I had an overripe Ivory from which I could only pick a few prices here and there followed by a CC that was mediocre at best.  More turpentine that coconut cream in this case.  Hit and miss with these so far.  That is about all I can eat in one day....

An orange sherbert was eaten while I wasn't looking and no even a sliver saved for me....I guess they enjoyed it.

Tommorow is looking like Taralay, Duncan, PPK, Gary and LZ among others be gastronomically appreciated.

[Future]

Late night snack: Sweet Tart, Orange Sherbert, Gary

I have a sampling of ST at Harry's and it was striking.  Tonight I ate a ripe one and - boom - it is a phenomenal mango.  At first glance, I will post a picture later, the flesh looks amazingly firm.  Aroma is wonderful.  Sink your teeth and and savor mango perfection.  I don't know what else to say.  This was a small one so the seed to flesh ratio was not great but man, what an awesome richness and sweetness.  Nothing tart there for me....it was like Bombay without the spicy element mixed with the creaminess of pineapple pleasure.

Orange sherbet picked a thought act to follow but OS is not just and all start but a first ballot hall of famer.  This mango actually reminded me of PPK with its orange juice concentrate intensity - not as much as PPK in this case but still very high.  Where PPK throw us of sweetness intentisty at is just too high for some, OS offers citrusy overtones instead.  Without question this is a top 10 mango, maybe top 5.

Gary, this was soft but still seemed in good order.  Should have agencies first as it just seemed mild after the first two.  In all, a great late night snack....

[Future]

Breakfast: Cogshall, ValCarrie, Piņa Colada, 34-12, Carrie

34-12 is a mango I picked up at Zills Nursery. Brownish orangey skin, mid sized mango with orange flesh.  While the inside was fairly firm and ultra fibre free, it did not rock the boat as far as sweetness, spiciness or punch.  Not a bad mango by any standard but next to...

Piņa Colada was next.  Tiny mangoes that conceal huge flavour profile.  This one was perfectly ripe, still firm with a spot of two on the skin.  Creamy, chalky, fruity, floral.  A top 10 mango.

ValCarrie was mostly black on the outside but still firm.  Nothing spoiled to talk about on the inside.  Delicious, piney fruity.  Good size on a good tasting fibre free mango.  I'm vegan and hence have no beef with ValCarrie.

Cogshall was well overripe and soft and I only picked it to add to my protein shake.  What struck me was the scent when I did that, which drew me to eat a piece and it was still actually quite good.  A strikingly beautiful mango on the outside, in proper condition this mango is a please on the inside.

My daughter left me a piece of Carrie around the seed from her morning exploits and I chomped on this also.  Couldn't fairly judge based on the small sample size but it did round out a tidy breakfast.

[Future]

Lunch: Sweet Tart, Maha Chanok, Peach Cobbler

Sweet Tart is ridiculously good.  A top 5 mango, no doubt.  I gave my daughter a pice and it blew away Peach Cobbler for her.  When I asked if she wanted another piece, the answer was simple: Yes!  Enough said - on her top mango list.

Maha Chanok - a connoisseur's mango.  Subtle, smooth, sweet and one really has to pay attention to the subtle fruity over and undertones it has.  Divine.

Peach Cobbler - perhaps my first under ripe mango of this trip.  Still tasted pretty good! 

Winner?  Sweet Tart, no doubt.

[Future]

The last day has become a mango blur. 

Henry (or O Henry), Seacrest, Edgar for dinner yesterday.

Henry did not stand out to me.  Seacrest showed promise. It not as amazing as it was last year.  Edgar was on point.

Today we had Fruit Punch, Sunset and Kafen Michelle.

FP is just not the same as last year.  It doesn't taste like FP to me anymore...

This Sunset was the polar opposite of the previous one...it went from awesome to no hum....

Kafen Michelle was good, subtle mid range mango.  Decent size, fiberless, sweetish, floral to mosh but did not punch hard.  A mango you need to take time eating to watch for the subtle notes.

I had a good friend and mango lover over and Sweet Tart blew his mind.  Lemon Zest is neck and neck for him.  Coconut cream had potential but was a little washed out.  A refrigerated and overripe PPK did not rate highly.  K-3 we found mediocre but subtle good qualities if one pays attention...

[Future]

Update:

I sampled pieces of Karen Michelle and K-3 and they tasted better than I recall.  Perhaps the mango blur and being too close to more intense mangoes made them seem quite tame.  These are good mangoes folks.

Speaking of good, my daughter made mango cakes today using PPK and Choc anon and they are delicious!

A blend of mangoes will be going into more cakes tomorrow.

[gunnar429]

are you referring to K-3?

[bsbullie]

K-3, not K-13.  K-3, or Kathy as it is to be called, is decent however Karen Michelle is an outstanding fruit and the only thing that prevents this from being released as an actual variety is its production,  or lack of good production as the case may be.

[Future]

are you referring to K-3?

Apologies, I did mean K-13 (corrected)

[Future]

K-3, not K-13.  K-3, or Kathy as it is to be called, is decent however Karen Michelle is an outstanding fruit and the only thing that prevents this from being released as an actual variety is its production,  or lack of good production as the case may be.

My second sampling, and I only had one fruit, reminded me of coconut cream.  Mine was in pristine shape inside and out and seemed to be a peak ripeness.  Much more subtle - not meaning mild - that CC however.

[Future]

Oh and courtesy of Sleepdoc I had a green stage Khunsee this eve,  crunchy and sweet, th ringside was still yellow when I cut it.  I enjoyed this for the unique experience.  If there is another mango that can be eaten in such a wide range of ripeness ago good effect, I'd like to know what it is.

And we also ate our first Pickering today...left as long as I could and yes....they are sweet!

[gunnar429]

K-3, not K-13.  K-3, or Kathy as it is to be called, is decent however Karen Michelle is an outstanding fruit and the only thing that prevents this from being released as an actual variety is its production,  or lack of good production as the case may be.

My second sampling, and I only had one fruit, reminded me of coconut cream.  Mine was in pristine shape inside and out and seemed to be a peak ripeness.  Much more subtle - not meaning mild - that CC however.

seedling of ZINC, correct?

[bsbullie]

K -3 is a seedling of ZINC and Karen Michelle is a seedling of Edward.

[Droshi]

Oh and courtesy of Sleepdoc I had a green stage Khunsee this eve,  crunchy and sweet, th ringside was still yellow when I cut it.  I enjoyed this for the unique experience.  If there is another mango that can be eaten in such a wide range of ripeness ago good effect, I'd like to know what it is.

And we also ate our first Pickering today...left as long as I could and yes....they are sweet!

Supposedly NDM, and probably other Thai varieties can be eaten green and crunchy.

[bsbullie]

Oh and courtesy of Sleepdoc I had a green stage Khunsee this eve,  crunchy and sweet, th ringside was still yellow when I cut it.  I enjoyed this for the unique experience.  If there is another mango that can be eaten in such a wide range of ripeness ago good effect, I'd like to know what it is.

And we also ate our first Pickering today...left as long as I could and yes....they are sweet!

Supposedly NDM, and probably other Thai varieties can be eaten green and crunchy.

Correct, NDM,  Bram Kai Meu, Keow Savoey,  Pim Sane Mun, Falan, Mahachanok,  Kiew Yai (all Thai in origin) among many others of SE Asian origin are excellent eaten green.

[gunnar429]

Oh and courtesy of Sleepdoc I had a green stage Khunsee this eve,  crunchy and sweet, th ringside was still yellow when I cut it.  I enjoyed this for the unique experience.  If there is another mango that can be eaten in such a wide range of ripeness ago good effect, I'd like to know what it is.

And we also ate our first Pickering today...left as long as I could and yes....they are sweet!

Supposedly NDM, and probably other Thai varieties can be eaten green and crunchy.

Correct, NDM,  Bram Kai Meu, Keow Savoey,  Pim Sane Mun, Falan, Mahachanok,  Kiew Yai (all Thai in origin) among many others of SE Asian origin are excellent eaten green.

Excellent?  You like green mangoes??? The only ones I ever had were at that RFC event that Gary hosted...and they were about as tasty as Sheehan's green acerola....still open to it, just don't know how realistic it is to be wowed by a green mango (for a gringo)

[JF]

Oh and courtesy of Sleepdoc I had a green stage Khunsee this eve,  crunchy and sweet, th ringside was still yellow when I cut it.  I enjoyed this for the unique experience.  If there is another mango that can be eaten in such a wide range of ripeness ago good effect, I'd like to know what it is.

And we also ate our first Pickering today...left as long as I could and yes....they are sweet!

Supposedly NDM, and probably other Thai varieties can be eaten green and crunchy.

Correct, NDM,  Bram Kai Meu, Keow Savoey,  Pim Sane Mun, Falan, Mahachanok,  Kiew Yai (all Thai in origin) among many others of SE Asian origin are excellent eaten green.

Excellent?  You like green mangoes??? The only ones I ever had were at that RFC event that Gary hosted...and they were about as tasty as Sheehan's green acerola....still open to it, just don't know how realistic it is to be wowed by a green mango (for a gringo)

green mangos are excellent with chili powder and lime, super delicious!

[bsbullie]

Jeff - you should try Thai green mango salad.  Its really good.

[mangomandan]

The last day has become a mango blur. 

Henry (or O Henry), Seacrest, Edgar for dinner yesterday.

Henry did not stand out to me.  Seacrest showed promise. It not as amazing as it was last year.  Edgar was on point.

I have to agree about O Henry. It was okay but not worthy of a name like that.

A couple weeks ago I was going to post about how wonderful the P3 was that I found at Zill's.
It turned out that   P3  was an upside down Edgar.   

[bsbullie]

The last day has become a mango blur. 

Henry (or O Henry), Seacrest, Edgar for dinner yesterday.

Henry did not stand out to me.  Seacrest showed promise. It not as amazing as it was last year.  Edgar was on point.

I have to agree about O Henry. It was okay but not worthy of a name like that.

A couple weeks ago I was going to post about how wonderful the P3 was that I found at Zill's.
It turned out that   P3  was an upside down Edgar.   

Not sure how or why Verna gave it candy bar status however its name is supposed to be just "Henry".  Its naming is pure chance as the part of the tree is near the rairod tracks so it is named after the famed "Henry Flagler".  While there are never any guarantees, this will most likely be the only year you will see this.  As has been said, while it is edible it has ne exceptional or redeeming qualities that allows for it to take up significant space when there are other better varities that can be placed in the tree where it sits.