I need mango education.  Caney--where does one find a Champagne mango? And what are other good varieties to try?   I have tried the "basic" grocery store variety, never see a label that says what type of mango it is.  They are so-so.   I like them in smoothies, but would like to find a variety or two that I enjoy fresh. What should I be on the lookout for??  

I've had good luck with Kent & Keitt. Occasionally we can find good (usually unlabeled) Mangoes in the grocery store, but the best I've gotten in Tucson are from a guy who's been selling them out of his truck for years.

What they call Champagne Mango in Krogers is yellow as opposed to green/red of the "normal" variety.  Less fiber in the Champagne and the taste is more like what I had in Honduras.  Every time I've been able to get a Champagne - it has been better than a "normal"  I also have one of the "normal" type in the "forgotten" portion of my frig.  Will try in the next day or two.  Have had the best luck buying them as soft as I can.  That is soft overall - if soft in only one place then probably a bruise.or some sort of damage.  Now I'm waiting for the Petite Champagne Grape (Black Corinth) to come in.  Love those things!

All these talk about Mango made me wanna go home in Thailand. I grow up with 5-6 mango variaties around the house. This year I wont be there during mango season so I wont be getting any :(

I'm suprise that Nam Doc Mai is actually called Nam Doc Mai in Englsih. Nam Doc Mai is a Thai name for one of my favoirit mango. May be I'll tell my parents to keep some seeds for me. I also love the one call '3 seasons' in Thai - it's very easy to grow and fruits all year long. It doesnt have a sweet after taste like Nam Doc Mai but it's a lot better then any Mango I get here. I have yet to like any mango I get here.

Mango is one of the tree I would love to have. My dad told me that it takes about a few years for Mango to bare fruits so it'd be difficult to plant it here in NC.

Where can I buy Mango tree?

If anyone is curious, here is a local to South Florida source of mangoes and info about different varieties

Nepen, your local nurseries probably carry mango trees if you live where the winters are warm enough. But, if it ever gets much below freezing, you're probably out of luck unless you grow them in pots.

Hi Ken,
I dont think I have any luck, NC is too cold for mango (go figure!!). I frequest my local plant store and have yet to find mango here.
Anya

Hey Caney....I saw "champagne" black corinth grapes in the grocery store 2 days ago.  Now that I think about it, it was at the very first Fresh Market I went to, around the corner from my Dad's place.  Now I remember!!   Call your Fresh Market, see if they have them yet!!   And I know what those yellow Champagne mangoes look like, so I will look for them tomorrow when I go buy figs at Fresh Market!!!   LOL

Sara & Anya,

I personally have been dissappointed many times over each time I bought a mango from a northern grocery store. They simply have to pick them too early in order for them to make the trip. IMO Mangoes are only good when picked fully ripe from the tree. I once found some Nam Doc shaped mangoes at Wal-Mart and my hopes went way up - until I tasted it. What a bummer, it was insipid.

Also Anya, without a greenhouse, it's going to be a labor of love to ripen mangoes anywhere north of zone 10 (maybe 9 with a little effort). I've considered giving it a shot on more than one occasion. I've yet to make the commitment though. I wish you the best if you want to give it a try in NC.

Bill you burst my bubble of mango happiness!  :-)   I will still look for one, but now when we venture to Florida and such I will keep my eye peeled.   Thanks.

I think that Mangoes are "best" when picked fully ripe from the tree as most fruits are. And like Bill, I will also offer that they are generally horrible when picked green and ripen "in-transit" or while waiting to be sold. Sometimes you get lucky. However, IMHO Mangoes are very good to excellent tasting when picked after coloring and/or ripening starts but definitely before they are fully ripe. And for most, that is also the most practical option.

Each season, my family and I personally pick ready now, ready in few days, and ready later Mangoes from South Florida backyard neighborhood trees to being back to North Florida to eat, share, and freeze. I shared a few of this year's Hadens - that were picked less than fully ripe - with neighbors and friends (a couple on this forum). Everyone said that the mangoes were delicious. I concur. So with care in selecting the mangoes - not just wholesale distribution - picking Mangoes early is actually ideal, practical, and very tasty practice.

Finally, I have tried unsuccessfully for two years grow a mango tree here in 8B. I need a 20ft tall green house to make it work and that just isn't going to happen.

Sara,

Whole Paycheck = Whole Foods  - the paycheck quip is about how expensive the place is. 

Black Corinth grapes are in - outta my way!  I got a date with grapes for lunch!

Mangoes - yep, we all know that store bought fruit is not worthy.  I myself have been spoiled with tree ripend peaches and avocados.  However, reality is that not many of us live in "mangoland" so we have to make do with store boughtten ones.  And yes, we may suffer, but we at least have a small sample of the gloriousness.  With careful selection and aging tricks, even we in Zones 8 and further north can enjoy mangoes.  And since it will be highly unlikely that I will ever move to the subtropics, I will have to make do with store bought and the occasional time I am somewhere visiting the subtropics where I might be able to have one ripe from the tree!

Sorry Sara, I wasn't out to burst anybodies "bubble of Mango happiness" ;-) .
I guess I've just grown a little bitter after trying so many times to find good mangoes in northern stores. Maybe I've been trying the wrong stores too though.

JD,
I only wish I lived close enough to drive down to S. FL on a weekend to pick up a bunch of mangoes. Maybe one of these mango season you could make a few bucks on me by sending a box of 'em my way - ?

Bill,

Will do. No money will exchange hands. Just a large Priority box of at least six very good mangoes from me to you.

Thinking about it...please PM me in early September with a gentle reminder. If we are very fortunate, then there may be one last mango run in mid-September for Keitts mangoes from the Pine Island area...not South Florida. Keitts are late season and signal the end of the mango season so let's hope for a good strong close-out harvest. Thus I will have enough to eat and also to share.

Here is my caveat: there is one person in line ahead of you who - by Mango-Fig Statute 2306.A.1.iii - gets right-of-first-refusal on a large Priority box of at least six mangoes.

Thank you JD. I appreciate the kindness.

I will try to remember to send you a note early next month.

I understand if someone else has first dibs. No problem.