California Organic Keitt Mangos are Back!

[gumbolox]

I look forward to the arrival of California Kiett mangos every year. Have not seen them mentioned here before.

These are hugh green skinned mangos. They have a relatively small pit, so you get your money's worth even at more than $3 each. The flesh is smooth, not stringy. They also are picked riper and have not been subjected to the hot water bath that imported mangos, even organic ones, go through, so the taste is like those I've had in other mango growing countries, seldom found in even the best imported ones.

Whole Foods has had piles of them lately (One of the few things that gets me into a WF). Monterey Mkt was just about sold out of small, cheaper ones today. I get em while I can and cube and freeze as the season is short (late Sept-mid Oct)

[Spenbald]

Andronico's on Irving had them 2 for $4 (I think, could have been $5) last weekend. I haven't touched them yet, but I can't wait.

[Robert Lauriston]

I forgot to mention, the Berkeley Whole Foods did *not* have any yesterday. Maybe a bigger WF with a larger produce department might?

[Robert Lauriston]

Berkeley Bowl has ~18 oz. organic for $3.19 each, plus larger and conventional from Mexico.

[TopoTail]

I was at Berkeley Bowl West this morning. They had Keitts from Mexico that were hard as a rock and the organic ones from California, which had a bit of give. I got a California one, as I don't think I've had a Keitt mango before. Verdict: It's not pithy and had a nice texture, but it was a pretty boring mango. Vaguely sweet with little flavor.

[Robert Lauriston]

The organic California Keitt I bought at the east Bowl last night was one of the best mangoes I've ever had, not just deep, complex flavor but varying flavor between the riper and less ripe parts. Reminds me of what peaches and cantaloupes taste like in civilized countries.

I picked one that was not totally hard and had some red/yellow color on one side.

[Joel]

Saturday at BB East, I got two of these California organic Keitts -- huge! in the cheapskate section of marked down fruit.
Two mangoes for 99 cents. Not 99 cents each -- two for 99.
They are fantastic -- of course slightly overripe so we ate them right away.

[majordanby]

Monterrey Mkt is selling these now. Non organic is $1.79 each, while organic i believe is $2.79 (or thereabouts).

[hhc]

Sunday 10/16/11 went to SF SOMA Whole Foods & finally bought them at their special price 3 for $10, saved 5c by not taking a bag & using my purse. Mine are still rock hard so will have to wait to try them.

[wolfe]

Not local and not organic but almost 3 pounds mango at BBW for $2.69.

[gnomatic]

I just got one at the Trader Joe's in North Beach/Fisherman's Wharf. $1.99 each.

[abstractpoet]

Thanks for this tip -- I hadn't heard of these before. They had Keitts today at Berkeley Bowl for $2.09 each, a pretty good deal considering how huge these are.

The lack of stringiness is key. The one I tried today wasn't as intensely sweet as good Indian or Taiwanese mangoes, but sweet enough. I especially liked that it was nice and juicy -- sometimes the Manilas I buy at Berkeley Bowl are a bit dry and chalky.

Will definitely keep buying the Keitts as long as they're available.

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Berkeley Bowl
2020 Oregon St, Berkeley, CA 94703

[Windy]

It isn't an especially sweet variety--should be firm and tart.

[gumbolox]

I let them get quite soft. Takes a while sometimes, but then they are quite sweet and flavorful. At least that's my experience.

[abstractpoet]

It was plenty sweet by American mango standards. I wouldn't describe it as "tart".

[Windy]

Will have to check them out. We grew Keitts in Florida when I was little. They're nice and tangy. It hadn't occurred to me to try freezing them.

[gumbolox]

Hope you all like them! I read that they were brought to Ca from FLA. They are grown in the Coachella Valley and I think they are a recently established crop.

[Windy]

They weren't commercially sold in Miami either. My mother bought a bunch of different trees at a rare fruit auction, and we spent years waiting for them to mature to figure out what they were. The Kietts and loquats were my favorites.

[wolfe]

Thanks for the tip. Just picked up a very large, approximately 3by 6" at Pike Place Market $2.99. Probably would have passed it up had I not read your post.