Hipsters and other music-lovin’ fiends can blather on & on about Tupac’s hologram and other strange & interesting things that happen at Coachella. But I’m wondering if they could tell you what is even better about Coachella than all that? What is even more cool? Fact is, they probably can’t tell you. So I will. Heh. Guess they’re not THAT hip!
Coachella, my mango friends, is so much more than home to a certain music festival. It is, in fact, one of the primary growing regions for Keitt mangoes. (Keitt rhymes with Pete!) So, forget everything your mother ever taught you about green fruit and ripeness, because the standard rules don’t apply here. Look at this ripe beaut of a Keitt – it’s big and GREEN.
To my taste buds, Keitts are the tangiest of the mangoes that most of us have access to here in the USA. The flavor is bright! What’s nice about Keitts is that they have almost no fiber (or even zero fiber) and are nice sized, so you get a lot of mango goodness in each and every one. Some can be up to two pounds! I’m a big fan of these big Keitts. 🙂
So how to tell if these green beauts are ripe? By touch! Some of them will have a bit of a yellow blush on them but even still, that doesn’t mean they are ripe, so don’t use color with Keitts. They need to yield to touch; if they begin to feel less firm and give a little, that’s a good starting point. A day or two past that might just make the perfect ripe mango, so buy a few and get some practice. After experimenting with just a couple, you’ll know just how soft they need to be for perfect ripeness.
Start watching for Keitts in August. Ask your produce guy/gal when exactly they are coming. They could last through September and I’ve heard of them showing up in stores in October even. Last year (2011), Trader Joe was selling them by the box. If I remember correctly, they were organic to boot. I hope Trader Joe’s does it again because they were amazing!
Bottom line: look for the BIG GREEN MANGOES in August & September. You won’t be sorry.
p.s. I suppose I should mention that Keitts are also grown in Florida. But for some reason, the mangoes grown in the Coachella Valley seem special. Why? Who knows. Maybe it’s because Florida & Hawaii get most of the tropical fruit love here in the USA. I just feel the need to throw California’s Coachella growers a bone. Heh. It’s my blog and I’m stickin’ to it!
BTW, I’ve procured a hot little coupon for my fruit loving friends… Enjoy! 🙂