Indian Mangoes Are Back

[kathryn]

Alphonso mangoes have returned! Delicious, sweet, creamy, fragrant, not stringy, juicy little yellow/green babies!

$30 per case (and only by the case). Individually wrapped, like last year. They're a little on the small side but I got 14 mangoes in my box.

Patel Brothers in Jackson Heights.

Unfortunately, crop yields are low this year due to bad weather, so get them while you can.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/512678
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/397648
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/408738

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Patel Brothers
37-27 74th St, Queens, NY 11372

[kathryn]

They're back at Patel Brothers in Queens. More on the way, I think they sold out for today.

"Tomorrow," told they us over the phone, just now.

Kesar, I think, my friend who bought a case isn't sure of the variety.

$27 a box.

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Patel Brothers
37-27 74th St, Queens, NY 11372

[kathryn]

No Indian mangoes just yet, Patel Bros. said today. "Next month" they said!

[jen kalb]

Has anyone seen the Kesar mangoes anywhere?
They are also apparently being shipped in this year.

[Miss Needle]

And they're gone again -- at least at Patel Brothers in Jackson Heights. Was a bit dismayed, especially since I made the trip from Manhattan solely for the purpose of getting these mangoes. Oh well, at least I ate well while I was visiting JH. The lady did tell me they should have more in about 2.5 weeks.

I know the market on 29th Street and Lexington carries them as well. But they're charging $45 per case (and the guy told me it's originally $50 but he's knocking $5 off the price -- which to me indicates you can bargain it down further, but I hate haggling). And when I purchased it from him last year, there were little rotten bits on almost all the mangoes I bought.

[kathryn]

Did you try one of the other Patel Brothers locations? Maybe the Flushing one?

We always call ahead to make sure they're in stock.

I think I know the corner store you're talking about in Curry Hill -- overpriced, and usually overripened.

[Miss Needle]

No. And I was in Flushing last weekend! And I saw the mangoes at the Flushing's Patel Brothers. But we were carrying so much stuff that carrying a crate of mangoes just seemed out of the question at the time. Did you carry them home in the crate? Or did you put them in a bag? I'm trying to work out the logistics of carrying a crate of mangoes and groceries home in the subway.

Yeah, the Curry Hill store's mangoes were not the best quality. I remember them being pretty expensive last year as well. I believe I paid $4 per mango. The parts where it wasn't rotten was absolutely delicious. But when you're paying $4 for a small mango, you'd expect it not to have rotten pieces.

[Joe MacBu]

You'll want to keep them in the crate (just bring a bag to put the box into for easier carrying). The great thing about Patel Bros. is that they will let you open the box and exchange any obviously bad ones.

It's still rather early for mango season, so you're probably fortunate to have missed out on this shipment. I'm assuming the ones that arrive later will be of better quality. The ones I bought last weekend still haven't ripened.

I bought some ataulfos from a market in Woodside. They were very sour,despite looking ripe.

[lambretta76]

Being that I can't possibly eat this many mangoes in the time that they would be ripe - does anyone have any good recipes for preserving, canning, or transforming these into something that will keep?

[Miss Needle]

You'll probably get more answers if you posted on the Home Cooking board. But I just love them plain. These mangoes are about 1/2 the size of the Tommy Atkins mango. So even though there are 14 to a box, it's only like you're eating seven mangoes.

If you go to the Curry Hill store, I believe they'll sell it to you by piece. That's what they did for me last year.

[jen kalb]

I bought a box - shipped in air freight on Emirates - out at a Subzi Mandi on Rte 46 in Whippany NJ yesterday - I think there were only 12 mangoes in that box - relatively small (I person size) and they varied in their ripeness within the box. So you may not have such a big problem getting through a box. Just make sure they open the box - the boxes are sealed and take a look at what you are getting.

[kathryn]

They keep pretty well in the fridge, IMO. I've made the box last a week.

[kathryn]

The mangoes come in a box, and they put them in a plastic bag with flimsy handles, just your typical grocery store bag but the box barely fits in. I made my own handle between the built in the handles using my umbrella, but obviously it's a little cumbersome. Probably better to ask them to do it using twine or some tape.

[Miss Needle]

Thanks Joe and Kathryn. I think I'll just ask them for an extra plastic bag and use the second bag as the handle. Hopefully the mangoes will be better in a couple of weeks.

[diprey]

check out Patel Brothers on Main St @Flushing, a few blocks up from the botanical garden. The mango boxes are stacked up on the right near the entrance and are labeled DESAI. Good luck. :)

[Miss Needle]

Thanks. I probably will be in Flushing before the JH Patel Brothers gets their new shipment in. But I will admit that going to the JH Patel Brothers for mangoes is a good excuse for me to eat some delicious Mexican and South Asian food! : )

[Joe MacBu]

I picked up a case last weekend. There were only 12 in mine. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like they'll be ripe until next weekend (despite a vague proclamation of 48 hours on the box).
Patel Bros. allows you to open the box upon purchase and exchange any damaged mangoes.

[wew]

They told me the same thing at Patel. I waited four days until they were a bit soft. The skin remained a muted green, even when the flesh was electric orange.
The Alfonso flavors run more to the lemon-orange curd, the " ,s " more to petrol and pineapple.

[DaveCook]

Have you tried the Mexican cultivar called Ataulfo this year (it's also just come into season), and if so, how would you compare them?

[kathryn]

Those are the same as champagne mangoes, right? Yellow, comma shaped, with a notch in them? I haven't had those in a while...

[DaveCook]

Comma? Check.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eatingin...

[jen kalb]

flip 'er with the pointier end down and you will see the "comma" shape.
the mango is the source of the paisley motif.

[wew]

Could you compare this years mangoes with last years?

[kathryn]

I don't think I'm qualified to compare since if my memory serves correctly I was only lucky enough to grab Kesar mangoes last year.