How To Pick A Great Mango

[iLander]

As someone who has grown mangoes for many years, I thought I'd pass along what I've learned so that PSer's can enjoy a wonderful summer fruit!

When you're buying a mango in the grocery store, don't pay much attention to color; there are many varieties of mango, with many different fully-ripe colors. Some are solid green when ripe, some are golden yellow, still others are red and green, red and orange, I could go on since there are 500+ varieties!

What you want to do is smell the stem end of the mango. It should smell vaguely of mango!

If it doesn't, chances are you will end up with a bland, flavorless mango that has been refrigerated too long. It will still be sweet, but not delicious. You want delicious. If it's only a little bit soft, don't worry, it will soften up. If it's like a rock, it will only soften a little, so pick one that's a tad soft. If it's very soft, and you'll eat it in a day or two, that's fine.

If you remember the old days of mangoes with a stringy inside that tastes like turpentine, don't worry, that's all in the past. Today's mangoes are cross-bred specifically to get rid of all that nastiness. There are so many different flavors of mango, too! Some are cloyingly sweet, like honey (golden yellow), others are tangy with a citrus kick, others are just a funky, thick, sweet mango flavor. Smell them before buying for best flavor. If you're lucky enough to live in a big city, with a fabulous grocer, you can try all the delicious flavors all summer long!

The nice part about mangoes is that they don't require a lot of pesticides to grow (so less pesticides in you!), because they are in the poison ivy family. This keeps most insects away. But NEVER bite into a mango! The poison ivy part is just below the skin surface, and it can cause quite a rash around your mouth. Peel and eat, that's how you do it.

YUM!

 

[zoebartlett]

Thanks iLander! I never knew mangoes are part of the poison ivy family. You learn something new every day around here!

 

[TravelingGal]

lol, good post iLander.

As a grocer's daughter, I know a bit about picking fruit, and definitely smell is key. Cantalopes, I do the same thing..sniff it.

When I was young, I thought scraping the flesh off the seed was the best part - because my mom always gave me the choice pieces and just ate what was left over on the seed. When I asked her why she was doing it and why wasn't she eating the mango she cut, she always said it was the best part.

Of course, now I know she was giving me the best part and spent her post-child life scraping the seeds of mangos (and eating moldy cherries and the brown bits of bananas, etc etc.) I find it funny now that I do the same thing for my own....cutting her up the flesh of the mango and eating the "best part" myself.

 

[Haven]

Thanks, ILander! I LOVE mangoes, I've been eating a lot of them, lately. Mmmmmm.

 

[amc80]

As a grocer's daughter, I know a bit about picking fruit, and definitely smell is key. Cantalopes, I do the same thing..sniff it.

Yep! I do that with pineapples as well.

 

[kenny]

Thanks so much

Picking good fruit can be so mysterious.

I pick the heaviest oranges.
I just pick up 20 or so to calibrate my hand and then start picking the heaviest.

I've given up "learning" how to pic a good watermelon.
I've just read so many suggestions which have not resulted in better watermelons.

 

[Dancing Fire]

the flat kidney shaped mangos are more tasty...

 

[TravelingGal]

Thanks so much

Picking good fruit can be so mysterious.

I pick the heaviest oranges.
I just pick up 20 or so to calibrate my hand and then start picking the heaviest.

I've given up "learning" how to pic a good watermelon.
It's like Las Vegas odds.

Yes, heaviest oranges is the way I do it too. I look lame bouncing my hand up and down to gauge the weight. I mean, why do I have to move my hand so much to figure out if it's heavy or not?

Pineapples - if they don't smell sweet and only smell of wax, you're almost guaranteed the most disgusting tasting thing.

Tomatoes should also smell like tomatoes and not like the vine.

Watermelon...I check the "sit spots" and go a lot of weight for size too, but I've never perfected it either! My mom can pick em though, EVERY time.

 

[kenny]

Yes, heaviest oranges is the way I do it too. I look lame bouncing my hand up and down to gauge the weight. I mean, why do I have to move my hand so much to figure out if it's heavy or not?

Tomatoes should also smell like tomatoes and not like the vine.

To me you would not look lame.
You'd look like me, which of course is genius.

IMHO the movement of the hand up and down helps tremendously in the judgement of weight.
I don't know why.

Each one feels to be much more similar weight if I don't raise them up and down.

 

[TravelingGal]

Yes, heaviest oranges is the way I do it too. I look lame bouncing my hand up and down to gauge the weight. I mean, why do I have to move my hand so much to figure out if it's heavy or not?

Tomatoes should also smell like tomatoes and not like the vine.

To me you would not look lame.
You'd look like me, which of course is genius.

IMHO the movement of the hand up and down helps tremendously in the judgement of weight.
I don't know why.

Each one feels to be much more similar weight if I don't raise them up and down.

I'm sure there is some scientific reason for it. But unless I shake it a few times, it ain't workin' for me.

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

As a grocer's daughter, I know a bit about picking fruit, and definitely smell is key. Cantalopes, I do the same thing..sniff it.

Yep! I do that with pineapples as well.

Also, along with smelling them, try and pull out one of the centre spikes on the top of the pineapple. If it comes out easy it was picked ripe, if it doesn't budge and was picked too early and is likely to be tasteless.

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

Thanks so much

Picking good fruit can be so mysterious.

I pick the heaviest oranges.
I just pick up 20 or so to calibrate my hand and then start picking the heaviest.

I've given up "learning" how to pic a good watermelon.
It's like Las Vegas odds.

Yes, heaviest oranges is the way I do it too. I look lame bouncing my hand up and down to gauge the weight. I mean, why do I have to move my hand so much to figure out if it's heavy or not?

Pineapples - if they don't smell sweet and only smell of wax, you're almost guaranteed the most disgusting tasting thing.

Tomatoes should also smell like tomatoes and not like the vine.

Watermelon...I check the "sit spots" and go a lot of weight for size too, but I've never perfected it either! My mom can pick em though, EVERY time.

When choosing a watermelon it helps to look at where the stalk was once attached. If it is too green and sticky it means it was pulled from the vine and picked too early. You want it to look older / brown in colour because it means the watermelon started falling off the plant on its own as it was ready to be picked. Same goes for anything that grows on the ground on a vine like plant. Cucumbers, zhuchinis, rock melon, honey dew etc.

My parents were market gardeners and we had a fruit and vege shop. Lots of people used to smack the watermelons to see what sound they made.

 

[Enerchi]

Well, I had no idea they were from the poison ivy family!!!

Yum, I love mangoes! When we were on our honeymoon in Antigua, we could pick them on the pathway to the restaurant and they would wash and cut them up for us.

They are so delish! Thanks for the info

 

[iLander]

Thanks so much

Picking good fruit can be so mysterious.

I pick the heaviest oranges.
I just pick up 20 or so to calibrate my hand and then start picking the heaviest.

I've given up "learning" how to pic a good watermelon.
I've just read so many suggestions which have not resulted in better watermelons.

The yellow bottom on the watermelon didn't work for you? How can this be?

 

[iLander]

@Tgal and Kenny; I don't understand what bouncing the weight of the orange does? It helps to find the heaviest, but does it help with sweetness?

When I pick oranges (yup, I've grown those too. We had five full-grown trees behind our first house) I prick the skin a tiny bit with my fingernail, and if it smells a tiny bit sweet, I buy those.

Also the smallest navel is the sweetest navel orange.

 

[iLander]

Well, I had no idea they were from the poison ivy family!!!

Yum, I love mangoes! When we were on our honeymoon in Antigua, we could pick them on the pathway to the restaurant and they would wash and cut them up for us.

They are so delish! Thanks for the info

Aren't they amazing when they're fresh from the tree? Sooooooo much better than grocery store!

 

[Haven]

A PSer taught me to look for a good yellow spot on the bottom of the watermelon. And to tap it and listen for a good hollow sound. Works every time for me! (Was it you, ILander? Thank you!)

 

[iLander]

When choosing a watermelon it helps to look at where the stalk was once attached. If it is too green and sticky it means it was pulled from the vine and picked too early. You want it to look older / brown in colour because it means the watermelon started falling off the plant on its own as it was ready to be picked. Same goes for anything that grows on the ground on a vine like plant. Cucumbers, zhuchinis, rock melon, honey dew etc.

My parents were market gardeners and we had a fruit and vege shop. Lots of people used to smack the watermelons to see what sound they made.

So tell us about picking some of the other fruits and vegs! What's the secret?

 

[iLander]

A PSer taught me to look for a good yellow spot on the bottom of the watermelon. And to tap it and listen for a good hollow sound. Works every time for me! (Was it you, ILander? Thank you!)

I did mention the yellow spot, you're very welcome!

 

[TravelingGal]

@Tgal and Kenny; I don't understand what bouncing the weight of the orange does? It helps to find the heaviest, but does it help with sweetness?

When I pick oranges (yup, I've grown those too. We had five full-grown trees behind our first house) I prick the skin a tiny bit with my fingernail, and if it smells a tiny bit sweet, I buy those.

Also the smallest navel is the sweetest navel orange.

I find with the smell test on the orange and finding one heavy for its size, at least I know I won't get a nasty DRY orange. Heavy for size means more water = more juicy.

I also tend to pick the smaller thinner skinned ones at the market vs the big ones. And color doesn't seem to mean as much when it comes to an orange.

Haven, that's what I mean by "sit spot"...that the spot it's been sitting on is bigger (which means it had more time vs getting picked early.)

 

[Haven]

Maybe it was you, TGal!

I like oranges with a really thick skin. They always seem to be super sweet. Maybe I'm just fooling myself?

This thread is great. Let's hear more tips! How do you pick the right grapefruit?

 

[iLander]

Here's the oranges ripening schedule, at least as it played out in my yard those many years ago, so you'll know what's the best at what time of year (USA-Florida);

Tangerines-Dec-Feb
Navel-Dec-Jan
Pink Grapefruit- Dec
Hamlin (juice oranges)- Dec-Feb
Valencia-March
Lemons-ripen in batches thru most of the year

With 5 full-grown bearing trees, we were desperate to use up the fruit. We tried marmalade, but it turned out that only took 5 navels and a lemon and we got 8 jars of marmalade.

 

[TravelingGal]

Here's the oranges ripening schedule, at least as it played out in my yard those many years ago, so you'll know what's the best at what time of year (USA-Florida);

Tangerines-Dec-Feb
Navel-Dec-Jan
Pink Grapefruit- Dec
Hamlin (juice oranges)- Dec-Feb
Valencia-March
Lemons-ripen in batches thru most of the year

With 5 full-grown bearing trees, we were desperate to use up the fruit. We tried marmalade, but it turned out that only took 5 navels and a lemon and we got 8 jars of marmalade.

Fresh squeezed juice...goes super fast with vodka.

 

[canuk-gal]

Here's the oranges ripening schedule, at least as it played out in my yard those many years ago, so you'll know what's the best at what time of year (USA-Florida);

Tangerines-Dec-Feb
Navel-Dec-Jan
Pink Grapefruit- Dec
Hamlin (juice oranges)- Dec-Feb
Valencia-March
Lemons-ripen in batches thru most of the year

With 5 full-grown bearing trees, we were desperate to use up the fruit. We tried marmalade, but it turned out that only took 5 navels and a lemon and we got 8 jars of marmalade.

Fresh squeezed juice...goes super fast with vodka.

Finally something I relate to!

cheers--Sharon

 

[FrekeChild]

The key with all citrus fruit is to pick thin skinned and heavy fruit. You're looking for the less dimpled, less wrinkled skin. The more textured it is, the thicker the skin is going to be.

I added two extreme pics.

Limes = not what you're looking for
Orange = much better

Also, color in citrus doesn't matter. They can actually "spray paint" the citrus (usually oranges). If I remember correctly, they spray a chemical on the freshly picked fruit and it (ethylene) turns the orange from green to orange. Apparently oranges are really sensitive to temperature when they are growing.

 

[zoebartlett]

As a grocer's daughter, I know a bit about picking fruit, and definitely smell is key. Cantalopes, I do the same thing..sniff it.

Yep! I do that with pineapples as well.

Also, along with smelling them, try and pull out one of the centre spikes on the top of the pineapple. If it comes out easy it was picked ripe, if it doesn't budge and was picked too early and is likely to be tasteless.

And this is what I've learned today. Thanks for the tip, HOT!

 

[Imdanny]

the movement of the hand up and down helps tremendously in the judgement of weight.

I agree.

 

[partgypsy]

You guys are making me hungry!

 

[partgypsy]

You guys are making me hungry! when I lived in Chicago you could buy a mango on a stick for $1. I wouldn't eat it on the street but bring it home and slice it up. whoever manned the little carts knew what they were doing because I never got a bad mango doing this, they were always good and perfectly ripe.