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

[Future]

Breakfast: Juicy Peach, Coconut Cream, Ugly Betty, Pineapple Pleasure

We are still working through the overripe crowd and will be for the next next day or two.

Juicy peach was soft to the touch.  And as my daughter noted, fizzy.  Actually a good experience though.  More soda mango.  Not as popping as peach cobbler but nonetheless a decent mid range mango.  On its own it would impress the neophyte.

Coconut Cream: this is what a connoisseur's mango tastes like.  The tropical high notes work wonders with this mango, subtle yet pronounced, soft yet attention grabbing.  Juicy and sweet.  Yes.  Now I remember how CC got into my top 3 last year.  In the runnings so far this year.

Ugly Betty: the last of them from Excalibur and also borderline over ripe.  Rich mango, not quite Bombay rich, but pretty deep.  Good complexity and still fairly good shape.  Don't judge her by her looks.  She is a beauty on the inside.  Not in tip top shape but nonetheless a palate pleasure.

Pineapple Pleasure: this was the surprise winner today.  I was given 3 log these large fruits because they were in such bad shape, beaten and bruised and blackened by at least 50%. Much to my surprise, not a lick of a problem on the inside.  All the way to the bruised and broken skin they were just fine.  This mango is growing on me.  Rarely will you find and combination of huge size and flavour.  The pineapple citrus taste is in effect but not in an overpowering way.  Juicy, yes.  Pleasure?  No question.  Aside from the unspoilt inside, the creaminess of this mango is what won me over.  The combination of creamy texture and pineapple hints is a real......pleasure.

By a nose, breakfast goes to pineapple pleasure.

So far PP, CC, LZ and Peach Cobbler are holding the top 4 spots.

Early days yet and much more eating to do!

PS my daughter has devised a plan to make a "peaches and cream" mango cake - peach cobbler and coconut cream combo.  Coming soon to a store near you....

[JF]

Breakfast: Juicy Peach, Coconut Cream, Ugly Betty, Pineapple Pleasure

We are still working through the overripe crowd and will be for the next next day or two.

Juicy peach was soft to the touch.  And as my daughter noted, fizzy.  Actually a good experience though.  More soda mango.  Not as popping as peach cobbler but nonetheless a decent mid range mango.  On its own it would impress the neophyte.

Coconut Cream: this is what a connoisseur's mango tastes like.  The tropical high notes work wonders with this mango, subtle yet pronounced, soft yet attention grabbing.  Juicy and sweet.  Yes.  Now I remember how CC got into my top 3 last year.  In the runnings so far this year.

Ugly Betty: the last of them from Excalibur and also borderline over ripe.  Rich mango, not quite Bombay rich, but pretty deep.  Good complexity and still fairly good shape.  Don't judge her by her looks.  She is a beauty on the inside.  Not in tip top shape but nonetheless a palate pleasure.

Pineapple Pleasure: this was the surprise winner today.  I was given 3 log these large fruits because they were in such bad shape, beaten and bruised and blackened by at least 50%. Much to my surprise, not a lick of a problem on the inside.  All the way to the bruised and broken skin they were just fine.  This mango is growing on me.  Rarely will you find and combination of huge size and flavour.  The pineapple citrus taste is in effect but not in an overpowering way.  Juicy, yes.  Pleasure?  No question.  Aside from the unspoilt inside, the creaminess of this mango is what won me over.  The combination of creamy texture and pineapple hints is a real......pleasure.

By a nose, breakfast goes to pineapple pleasure.

So far PP, CC, LZ and Peach Cobbler are holding the top 4 spots.

Early days yet and much more eating to do!

PS my daughter has devised a plan to make a "peaches and cream" mango cake - peach cobbler and coconut cream combo.  Coming soon to a store near you....

Wow future, you are a mango eating machine! It sounds like you are having a blast, thanks for sharing your passion with us!

[FlyingFoxFruits]

Southern blush is one of the best mangoes I've tasted

Wow, that is quite a list. No one seams to be impressed with Southern Blush except BSbullie. All the reviews I read on it are just Mmmhhheee.

Bill

You seem to make a blanket statement that i think is hard to back up..."no one"?  When mangoes are consumed overripe,  their quality becomes diminished.  I also think these tastes should be done blind, you would find very different results on taste and quality.  Just saying...

[Future]

Lunch: Nam Doc Mai, Ice Cream, O-13

My only NDM, picked up at Truly Tropical, was first up to bat for lunch.  This one was slightly gone to far but still shined.  A few spoiled spots could not take away from the raw sweetness provided by this long slender gem of a mango.  Complex?  No.  Just straight sickly sweet.  My daughter adored the experience of eating this mango.  I must say it was one of the best NDMs I have had.  Super thin seeds are always a bonus. 

Truly Trooical also had 2 Ice Cream mangoes left and I quickly snatched them up.  This mango used to rank #2 on my list until Zill releases raised the standard.  It is still an underhyped mango with a lot to offer.  This one was also gone too far but the potential could not be hidden by lateness in my eating it.  Scrumptious is the word that comes to mind whenever I have the pleasure of eating it.  In my six years I have probably only had it in three so perhaps it is an alternate bearer...who knows.  I have one left which is in better shape so one more shot in 2015...

O-13 (could be 15) I picked up from Zills Nursery.  My first time eating it.  It has a divine coloration, speckled orange and yellow flesh.  My wife (due to arrive tommorow) saw this one among them bunch and asked us to save it for her based on looks alone.  Alas, it was not to be as it needed to be eaten yesterday.  Today it was soft, very mangoey taste.  Reasonable but perhaps the late eating did not allow it to shine. 

NDM stole the show for lunch with her super sweet silky self.

Dinner might see Glenn, Taralay, Duncan or Piņa Colada come to the table.

Now, I need to go for a walk....

[bsbullie]

O-15

[mangomandan]

Rob, just between you and me and the lamppost, what do you think of O-15. I've had a couple so far and found them good but not great.

I picked up a couple O Henry mangos today. Is that a real name?

[bsbullie]

O-15 are ok.  Nothing great.  Seems to have a bit of chalky taste to it even when fully ripe.  K-3 is much better.

[Future]

K-3 is coming soon....

[Future]

Dinner: Piņa Colada, Duncan, Taralay, Beverly (mystery solved)

I need to workout several times a day to offset the volumetric mango diet.  I prepped slices of mango for my daughter in advance so she got the jump on assessing this evening's beauties.  She popped when she ate Piņa Colada first, which I really should have given her last.  Suffice to say is kicked Peach Cobbler to the cobblestones and took over as #1 on her list.  These are small mangoes but don't let the diminutive nature fool you, they pack a punch well above their weight.  She sampled the others and liked Duncan, did not like Taralay ("not sweet") and asked for PC twice more.

So I was saved the last quarter of the PC and yes, it is the real deal.  A top 10 mango in my books, and that my friend, takes something substantial to earn.  A sweet, complex spicy little mango with kick.

Taralay, quite rightly, isn't as sweet as many sweet mangoes.  What blows your mind is the texture.  It is like eating a piece of edible silk.  Ultra fiberless and smooth such that I never even noticed that it really isn't that sweet.  Doesn't matter.  Still a top 10 mango in my books.

Duncan earned its spot at the table today.  I have skipped over these for a while not remembering just how good they can be.  A mango mango, it is mid range rich, very good degree of sweetness, excellent texture and just plain good.  On its own, a Duncan is a winner any day.

But there can only be one winner over meal and today's winner was PC.  Good thing I have a few more.

Btw in prior years I planted out this seed and noticed, more so that others may it seems to be fairly drought tolerant.  Has anyone else noticed that?  I had some extras in pots I never got to plant and recently transplanted what appeared to be all dry potting soil and the plant looked just fine.  The leaves are fairly distinct such that I can look at one and tell it is a PC.  (I have found myself doing that with mangoes lately too.  I used to wonder how people could look at an unlabeled mango and just know what it is so to find myself doing it.....is interesting)

Lastly, I have an unlabeled mango, pinkish blush and spots on yellowish background.  No idea what is was.  I ate it and it was pretty decent.  Good blind test in that afterwards I deduced it was Beverly. It is the sole Beverely I bought and the only unlabeled fruit I had.  Good mango but not earth shattering.

[Future]

Dinner: Piņa Colada, Duncan, Taralay, Beverly (mystery solved)

I need to workout several times a day to offset the volumetric mango diet.  I prepped slices of mango for my daughter in advance so she got the jump on assessing this evening's beauties, while I worked out.  She popped when she ate Piņa Colada first, which I really should have given her last.  Suffice to say is kicked Peach Cobbler to the cobblestones and took over as #1 on her list.  These are small mangoes but don't let the diminutive nature fool you, they pack a punch well above their weight.  She sampled the others and liked Duncan, did not like Taralay ("not sweet") and asked for PC twice more.

So I was saved the last quarter of the PC and yes, it is the real deal.  A top 10 mango in my books, and that my friend, takes something substantial to earn.  A sweet, complex spicy little mango with kick.

Taralay, quite rightly, isn't as sweet as many sweet mangoes.  What blows your mind is the texture.  It is like eating a piece of edible silk.  Ultra fiberless and smooth such that I never even noticed that it really isn't that sweet.  Doesn't matter.  Still a top 10 mango in my books.

Duncan earned its spot at the table today.  I have skipped over these for a while not remembering just how good they can be.  A mango mango, it is mid range rich, very good degree of sweetness, excellent texture and just plain good.  On its own, a Duncan is a winner any day.

But there can only be one winner over meal and today's winner was PC.  Good thing I have a few more.

Btw in prior years I planted out this seed and noticed, more so that others may it seems to be fairly drought tolerant.  Has anyone else noticed that?  I had some extras in pots I never got to plant and recently transplanted what appeared to be all dry potting soil and the plant looked just fine.  The leaves are fairly distinct such that I can look at one and tell it is a PC.  (I have found myself doing that with mangoes lately too.  I used to wonder how people could look at an unlabeled mango and just know what it is so to find myself doing it.....is interesting)

Lastly, I have an unlabeled mango, pinkish blush and spots on yellowish background.  No idea what is was.  I ate it and it was pretty decent.  Good blind test in that afterwards I deduced it was Beverly. It is the sole Beverely I bought and the only unlabeled fruit I had.  Good mango but not earth shattering.

[bsbullie]

K-3 is coming soon....

Dont bet on that...

[Future]

K-3 is coming soon....

Dont bet on that...

I was referring to a review...

[Future]

Breakfast: Venus, PPK, Glenn, Peach Cobbler, Gary

We went all small for breakfast today (Glenn being the exception and after thought).  Still working through the overripe crowd with another 7 to follow.  Assessments should be tempered accordingly.

Venus was first up to bat and did no disappoint.  With such a name assigned to her, she has a love to live up to.  This was my first experience with Venus and it was a good one.  It seemed to me she borrowed some richness from Jupiter and that went along quite well with the sweetness.  Reasonably complex, mid range richness, mid range sweetness.  An all around above average mango.  No complaints.

Gary was next and admittedly overripe.  My daughter wanted none of this.  Removing the soft spots on such a small mango left not much left but was hit the spot.  I can see why this is such a string feature in breeding work by Gary.  Hints of orange sherbert come to mind when I eat it.

PPK as was stated by another poster, isn't a mango.  It is candy disguised as a mango.  This was a prime time PPK and immediately hit #4 on my daughter's list and made for cake mango.  Still #2 on my list.  Small delectable rich and overpowering sweetness.  Some might need to lie down on the couch afterward.

Glenn was going fast and with so many small offering I added to the mix late.  Apologies to Glenn but it tasted bland following this crowd.  I didn't bother to eat half of it.

I threw in a peach cobbler that was also super soft.  Even at this stage the character of this mango shows, arguably taking on the texture of its namesake.  Great little mango.

PPK ruled breakfast.

So far LZ, PPK, Piņa Colada, Peach Cobbler and Coconut Cream are the all star start 5, among a league of stars.

Bombay, Ice Cream, Elephant Tusk, Graham and Pineapple Pleasure could all get some palate time later today.

[Future]

The pictures have begun....

[gunnar429]

K-3 is coming soon....

Dont bet on that...

I was referring to a review...

[Future]

The Fairchild Mango Festival added to our collection!  I was expecting only a few and got more than I was anticipating buying.  Some classics were available and we now add:

Sigsiput
Mammou
Cac
Fairchild Emerald
Ivory
Alphonso

Does anyone have some history on Fairchild Emerald?  This one is new to me.

Breakfast: Graham, coconut cream, Bombay, ice Cream and late entry Neelam

Even my budding connoisseur daughter had to yield to the flavours of coconut cream today.  She reluctantly rated it number one in this tasting.  It was a bit washed out but nonetheless you could taste the piney coco flava.

Ice cream, like most today, had gone too far.  Not far to judge on this basis.  A fine mango when ripe.

Bombay I was one left a quarter piece of - we have a third taster at the table now - so everyone seemed to enjoy its rich and spicy flavours.  Smooth as silk flesh on this smallish mango.  A winner.

Graham had the appearance of an ultra rich mango.  The deep orange inside had a spicy tats the but lack the rich depth of Bombay. It felt underwhelming based on what I was expecting, my first time eating it.  Perhaps it also had gone a bit too far but nonetheless it was not a good way to finish breakfast so....

I picked a Neelam which was also half blackened on the outside and it saved the day.  The flesh inside this little mango is like a mango lovers dream.  It is butter smooth.  Offer no resistance,  you could scoop it out with an ice cream scoop or a spoon.  Or your mouth. I prefer the latter.  A great tasting little gem.

Winner is a toss up between Bombay, Neelam and coconut cream.  Take your pick.

[PurpleAlligator]

In the auction if I remember correctly Richard Campbell said that Fairchild Emerald was a Julie seedling?

[Future]

Dinner: Bombay, Lemon Zest, Sun

We drove 4 hours north today with a feast for the ages at Harry's in the early stage.

We had so many mangoes there it became a blur.  LZ, CC, Kesar, Ivory, PPK, Maha Chanok, ping seng mun, sweet tart, ice cream, Neelam, Amy, Angie...and probably others I have forgotten.

Arriving at our destination, dinner began with Sun.  I put aside 11 mangoes that were bordering on use for smoothies or cake it not eaten today or tomorrow.  Sun was perhaps the best shape of them all and I am glad my daughter selected it. I was a Sun virgin until this evening.  I am wondering if this is th Elul name or is it Sunset?  Either way, it is a fine mango.  In fact, both my daughter and my wife placed it ahead of LZ. (I would not dare indulge such heresy). But nonetheless, it is a mango worthy of attention. Good mango flavour, little fibre, great scent, sweet, rich and intense. Eat it all the way to the skin, seed.  I could find no fault with Sun and already look forward to my next eating of it.  It also happens to be a beaut of a mango, golden skin with speckles here and there.

Great selection.

Bombay was at its best this evening, spicy like a Rottweiler on cayenne. This mango punched to the last bite with complex rich and spicy sweetness.  Perfection for the palate.  Mango connoisseurs pay homage to this down south selection.

Lemon Zest is still the g.o.a.t.  The funk can't be faked that emanates from the elevated status of this gem of a mango.  The great mangoes of the world only make this one seem even greater.

I veto the Sun selection and pronounce LZ the dinner winner.

Sleep well mango fanatics.

[Future]

Mangoes of Harry H, Truly Tropical

[Future]

Zills Mango box

[bsbullie]

Without seeing it i am gonna go out on a limb and say your "Sun" was Sunrise.

[gunnar429]

In the auction if I remember correctly Richard Campbell said that Fairchild Emerald was a Julie seedling?

I thought I heard that too.  They also had something called Late Julie, and mentioned Juliette in the auction.

BTW, Emerald and Fairchild Emerald are the same thing....some fruit was labeled with the 2 different names, but they are all emerald.

[Future]

In the auction if I remember correctly Richard Campbell said that Fairchild Emerald was a Julie seedling?

I thought I heard that too.  The also had something called Late Julie, and mentioned Juliette in the auction.

BTW, Emerald and Fairchild Emerald are the same thing....some fruit was labeled with the 2 different names, but they are all emerald.

Good to know as it adds emerald to my collection.

[Future]

Breakfast: Elephant Tusk, Lemon Zest, PPK, Taralay, Pineapple pleasure

As a family of three we can pick up the taste pace now with more items to sample per meal.  I have one other family member on route so the overripe mangoes will quickly be a thing of our past.

First on the block this morning was my sole elephant tusk.  I got this gem from Truly Tropical.  It is a good sized yellow mango shaped as the name suggests.  It had a disintegrated seed upon cutting open that looked like coconut pieces but alas, the embryo was intact and already sendi out roots.  The mango tastes like Nam Doc Mai with a thicker texture.  Sweet and simple.  This combination of size and sweetness make it a good find.  TT is the only place I have seen this mango.  Is anyone else growing it?  Aware of its origins?  (It is polyembryonic)

Lemon Zest was, well, Lemon Zest.  Superb.

PPK was a dose of candy for breakfast.

Taralay I did not actually get to eat.  Someone at the table ate the whole thing before I knew it.  They said there were other Taralays ready so....I say that to say, I am not the only one who appreciates this mango.

Pineapple Pleasure, despite the cracks, bruises,  splits and blackened skin was, once again, in great shape all the way to the skin.  This mango is growing on me.  Why?  A rare combo of size, sweetness, creaminess, fibre free and refined hints of fruity tones.  That it can keep so well in this state is a bonus. 

Today's breakfast spread was too much to judge.  We just had to enjoy...

Looking ahead we have Ivory, Gary, Cogshall, Tarakay, Duncan at the ready....

[Future]

Taralay, Duncan and Pina Coloda mangoes