With summer well on its way, we’re starting to get excited about some of our favourite seasonal fruits… most notably… Ataulfo Mangoes! But even though they taste amazing, there’s one particular question that we tend to get asked when Ataulfo Mango season rolls around; Why so Wrinkly?! Ataulfo Mangoes often get a bad rap because of their appearance! But don’t be so quick to judge a book by its cover… read on to get the cold hard facts on these often overlooked Mangoes!
Breaking Down the Ataulfo Mango Debacle
Who knew the world of Mangoes could be so complicated and confusing?! The Ataulfo Mango – otherwise known as the Champagne Mango if you’re like me and can’t pronounce it – is notorious for its sweet taste, smooth texture and smaller pit (which equals more mango meat for all… hurrah!). Unfortunately, as the intro suggests, this particular fruit is also notorious for its less than appealing, wrinkly outer appearance and is often overlooked because of it!
This is SUCH a shame because for those of us that are “in the know” within the mango community – yes, it’s a thing – the Ataulfo Mango is quite possibly the Rolls Royce of the mango variety. AKA it tastes AMAZING.
So to help break down this undeserved stigma, I thought that we should share some of the facts surrounding this tasty fruit that hails straight from Mexcio!
Fact vs. Fiction
1. Wrinkly Ataulfo Mangoes mean the fruit has gone bad. FALSE! Ataulfo Mangoes aren’t ready UNTIL they are wrinkly! This may seem a bit unconventional… but it’s TRUE! When the mango is slightly soft to touch and the skin appears slightly wrinkly you know it’s time to eat! Bon appetite!
2. Ataulfo Mangoes need more time to ripen than other Mangoes. TRUE! These mangoes need more time out on the shelf to ripen than your ordinary mango! To help speed up the “wrinkling” process… leave them out in room temperature atmosphere!
3. Ataulfo Mangoes taste the same other Mangoes. FALSE! This particular mango is sweeter, lighter and has a buttery texture! They’re mostly known for making great smoothies!
4. Ataulfo Mangoes yield more meat than regular Mangoes. TRUE! Despite being smaller in size in comparison to other mangoes, ataulfo mangoes actually yield more fruit simply because their pit is so much smaller than your standard mango pit!
5. 1 cup of sliced Ataulfo Mangoes yields approximately 25% of Vitamin A, 115% of Vitamin C & no Fat. TRUE! This particular fruit is incredibly nutritious and is an amazing source of Vitamin A & Vitamin C! Eat up!!!
So… will you be trying Ataulfo Mangoes anytime soon?!
