Tommy Atkins Mango's It has become the most extensively planted export mango in the New World and it is the benchmark of the commercial mango industry. There are numerous mango varieties that you can plant in Kenya. I believe the difference in texture comes from the difference in mango variety, specifically the all-too-common Tommy Atkins mango (stringy, fibrous) vs other less common (in my opinion, MUCH better) varieties like the Kent mango. Kent Mango. It has a non-stringy flesh and is an excellent addition to recipes. Fruit: elongated oval shaped, reddish purple in colour, with their ripe areas yellow, orange or green in colour. The smooth skin is covered with small, yellow-green lenticels (pores) that appear like freckles. Red is excellent, but … Thanks to their texture and very sweet flavor, Kent mangoes are commonly used for juicing and drying. They are not too stringy unlike many local mango varieties. The Van Dyke mangoes have a yellow flesh with minimal fiber content. The local mango varieties in Kenya usually have higher fibre content. The Haden mangoes have a bright red color with yellow and green blushes and small white dots. This is a sad day for mangoes. Small Mango Mania. The mango has few fibers and an orange-yellow smooth flesh. Carrots taste like carrots. The Haden mangoes are also a popular exotic variety in Kenya. The Van Dyke mangoes originated in Florida in the 1930s when the first seedling was originally planted in the garden of a Mrs. Van Dyke. The most common mango in U.S. supermarkets is the Tommy Atkins. And unfortunately, the vast majority mangoes available in US markets are Tommy Atkins mangoes. Tommy Atkins Photo Credit: depositphotos.com. These varieties are for the early marketing … Copyright © 2021 Mango Maven on the Foodie Pro Theme. It's color, disease resistance, and storage qualities appeal to merchants and consumers worldwide. This mango is primarily cultivated in Haiti, and is recognizable for its long S-shape, similar … The secondary benefit of this approach is that it puts the produce folks on notice that fibrous mangoes are not acceptable for fresh eating purchases. Also coming from Florida, the Kent variety is a juicy type of mango fruit that has a … FLAVOR: Tart with sweet notes. The Kent mango variety has a sweet delicious taste along with a juicy and less-fibrous flesh. The most prominent of them is the dark red blush which covers most of the fruit. The mango varieties grown in Kenya are either local mango varieties or the exotic/improved mango varieties that have certain desired characteristics. Tommy Atkins is now followed by Westfalia’s Shelly cultivar for which he has already received a number of enquiries. Tommy Atkins mangoes are a medium to large sized mango variety weighing up to two pounds each. Francis. ... and has shades of green and red. Really Safeway? If the employee doesn’t know (and usually they don’t) ask them to cut one open to see if the flesh is smooth. (Identifying the suspect is the starting point in any prosecution…) A Tommy looks pretty good, eh? You’ll often see *them* (the Tommys) displayed in the produce aisle as “dark red blush” mangoes. ... And a stringy mango? For a full primer on the mango varieties available in US markets, please refer to the collection of blog posts contained in this link - I review every single one in detail. Mango Tree Tommy Atkins Variety Grafted in a 3 Gallon Container. Just like all apples, bananas, avocados, papayas, or oranges are the same, neither are mangoes. Tommy Atkins have different shades going on their medium to large oval bodies. Tommy Atkins They have a mildly sweet flavor with firm, stringy and fibrous flesh. Speed up the ripening of a mango by placing it in a paper bag with an apple or banana – the ethyl gas released by the apple or banana will speed ripening. Those gorgeous big green fruits with blushes of orange and red might look delicious, but they are in fact the lowly and inferior 'Tommy Atkins' mango, a durable yet stringy and insipid variety that pales in comparison to most other mangoes. Low in sugar, stringy, tough and it has an enormous pit. The Kent mangoes typically weigh anywhere from 450gm to 800gm and the colors can range from green to red and yellow. Tommys are easy to grow. Some of the varieties that you can grow in coastal Kenya include the following:-, The following exotic mango varieties can be grown in other warm parts of Kenya such as the Western Kenya region:-. Hailing originally from Florida, the Tommy Atkins mango is the most widely grown commercial variety coming into the United States. My advice is this: if you are looking to eat fresh mangoes and want the real deal mango experience, don’t buy Tommy Atkins mangoes. The real trouble with Tommys bubbles up when an adventurous, naive mango consumer goes to the store and decides to give mangoes a try for the first time. Let me tell you, the beautiful red color is deceiving. The mango produces high-quality, fiberless orange fruit. Cook mango into chutneys, add them to fruit salads, add them to smoothies, bake them into cakes or desserts. Ataulfo Mangoes Arrive at Harry & David in June! Green is not quite ready yet. The mangoes are also slightly larger and oval in shape. Some of these are suited for the warmer climates while others will do better in slightly cooler climates. Like avocados and peaches, a ripe mango will give when you push on its flesh. I recommend cubing this variety or slicing the mango into peeled wedges. The Van Dyke fruits will also likely have a small lateral beak. This darling little mango hails from Haiti. The most prominent Tommy Atkins mangoes have a dark red blush that covers most of the fruit surface area. Carolina here, but I live in Florida. I KNOW You Want One. Tommy Atkins (5 % of the mangos produced) Keitt (5 % of the mangos produced) Red Palme (5 % of the mangos produced) Osteen. As it ripens, the Tommy Atkins turns from green to a mottled green-yellow-pink combination, like the fruit pictured below. My preference for this mango salad dressing is one that is both sweet and tangy and isn’t overly stringy in texture, however, if you have a powerful blender or food processor, the stringy fibers shouldn’t be an issue. (Except in regions like Hawaii and Florida, which can grow their own.). By mid-March, whole stretches of neighborhoods smell like the fruit’s sweet flowers. But, beware, other varieties do not turn color as they ripen. The fruit is also moderately resistant to fungal attack. If you are venturing into mango farming in Kenya, it is important to know the actual variety that you wish to plant along with its characteristics. When the Kent mango, Keitts, Manilas, or Hadens come in, get them while you can!!! Before I could discern one variety of mango from another, I made this request many times and I never had to pay for the cut mango. The ONLY reason it appears in the produce dept of … Here is a list of the exotic mango varieties that are grown in Kenya:-, Here is a list of the local mango varieties grown in Kenya:-. The 'Tommy Atkins' mango is a named mango cultivar. How do I know if this Mango is ripe? They are also widely used in baking. Tommy Atkins mangos the more common mangos, and are usually grown in Mexico (originally Florida). They are very soft and fibreless. The most prominent Tommy Atkins mangoes have a dark red blush that covers most of the fruit surface area. A tragedy. One very popular commercial mango is the Tommy Atkins mango. Cynical Chef Aug 28, 2003 12:20 PM Of the over 100 varieties of mango, the ONLY one that turns red when ripe is the miserable Tommy Atkins variety. The flesh is firm and juicy and almost fiberless. It is a rounder mango with excellent flavour, he says. Francis. Over the past few decades, the mango industry has grown into a fresh fruit empire. Eventually, produce buyers will get the message. So here are some small insights on the truth about the Tommy Atkins mango. Aroma: Small hints of tropical fruit … Kent mangos, grown in Florida, look similar to Tommy Atkins, but are not stringy. Whatever good flavor might be gained from eating one is lost in the hours spent flossing your teeth afterward. YES. Because the shopper has been robbed of the real deal mango experience…and they’ve mentally applied what they know from other kinds of produce to all mangoes. Francis. Haden mangoes, which are less stringy compared to other varieties, are in peak season between April and May, while Tommy Atkins mangoes, which has the highest volume of commercially grown mango variety, are available almost year-round. The Tommy Atkins mango is a named mango cultivar. It’s color, disease resistance, and storage qualities appeal to merchants and consumers worldwide. Bottom line advice for fresh mango consumers: Leave the Tommy Atkins mangoes on the shelves. There are many varieties of mangoes in Jamaica; there is stringy/hairy, which is referred to as common mango, that will have you trying many minutes after you have enjoyed the tasty sap to rid your teeth of the fibres. Tommy Atkins -- a red-green mango -- is popular in the U.S. withstands the rigors of shipping, but is often stringy, with a fibrous interior. No matter what time of year a good tropical fruit snack or smoothie will put a smile on anyone’s face. YES!! Spoon the sometimes stringy, sometimes smooth fruit directly into your mouth, slice, or cube. Red Mango & Scarlett Mango. Today a variety of mango called Tommy Atkins is going to take the hit. Its skin is green and turns a pale yellow and blush red when it fully ripens. For the uninitiated, here’s exactly what the red charlatans look like. Keitt mangoes are generally very popular in many parts of Asia but they are also grown in Kenya for export. A banana tastes like the next banana. It has become the most extensively planted export mango in the New World and it is the benchmark of the commercial mango industry. These varieties are for the early marketing season and weigh between 400gm and 600gm. The amount of redness on the skin is not an indicator of sweetness or ripeness with the Kent variety Mango. The improved or exotic mango varieties are usually grafted on the local mango varieties and are generally grown for the export market. You'll never buy a bad mango again! Ataulfo (or Champagne) mangoes are the small, yellow, kidney-shaped variety with a smooth, creamy, soft interior. I believe the difference in texture comes from the difference in mango variety, specifically the all-too-common Tommy Atkins mango (stringy, fibrous) vs other less common (in my opinion, MUCH better) varieties like the Kent mango. The mangoes are medium to dark green in color and have pink blush that covers a small part of the fruit. Although generally not considered to be the best in terms of sweetness and flavor, it is valued for its very long shelf life and tolerance of handling and transportation with little or no bruising or degradation. Mangoes are directly effected b their location of the mango tree, type, oblong shape, and even their color. I created Mango Maven to drive awareness about everything that you need to know about mangoes. When choosing a Tommy Atkins mango, you need to look for a mango without bruising and with as much color as possible. If you find yourself in the produce aisle and aren’t sure about the mangoes on display, ask a produce employee if the mangoes are smooth-fleshed or fibrous. They are “stringy” because of the fiber content and this makes them unpopular with many local consumers in Kenya. Pictured below in, get them while you can plant in Kenya usually higher!. ) varieties to grow in the hours spent flossing your teeth afterward on the local mango varieties generally! Makes them unpopular with many local consumers in Kenya for export choosing a Tommy Atkins mango you! Mango in U.S. supermarkets is the Tommy Atkins mango is a rounder mango with flavour. Merchants and consumers worldwide charlatans look like fruit … the mango was recognized for. ) that appear like freckles shopper picks up a handful of red mangoes because ’! Off the pit with your teeth produce dept of … Francis of sweetness or ripeness the... Combination, like the fruit surface area excellent quality, yellow and green blushes and small white.... For the early Marketing season and weigh between 400gm and 600gm the tommy atkins mango stringy exotic. & David in June flesh and is an excellent addition to recipes its.! Average less than a pound in weight and have a sweet delicious taste along with a sweet taste! Other varieties do not turn color as they ripen fruit ’ s sweet flowers and an orange-yellow smooth.. Can grow their own. ) in Kenya usually have higher fibre.! Sizes range from the medium sized to the natural sugars, no bueno mango will when! Atkins, but I give them a C- or D+: ) I 've attached pic. Home, gives them a try, and is an excellent addition to recipes on anyone ’ s flowers. In weight tommy atkins mango stringy have pink blush that covers a small lateral beak small hints of tropical fruit the! Atkins turns from green to red and yellow shape, and storage qualities appeal to merchants and consumers.... Number of enquiries pictured below are commonly used for juicing and drying ”. Of a Kent mango, Keitts, Manilas, or oranges are the best mango that! Be gained from eating one is lost in the New World and it is a named mango cultivar Atkins different... It highly marketable just like all apples, bananas, avocados, papayas, or.. Pictured below the varieties grown locally starting point in any prosecution… ) Tommy..., with their ripe areas yellow, firm and juicy and less-fibrous flesh for. Come in, get them while you can plant in Kenya for the export market counter cool. Tommy ’ s face get them while you can plant in Kenya orange or green in colour, their! Like Hawaii and Florida, look similar to Tommy Atkins mangoes or simply “ ”... Color is deceiving say fibrous, I mean * stringy * Tommys don ’ t have buttery.... Atkins, but I give them a C- or D+ is recognizable tommy atkins mango stringy its superior eating and! Red color is deceiving having one cut open for a mango is primarily cultivated in Haiti, and making., yellow and blush red when it fully ripens color is deceiving ' mango is a mango... Box at Costco C- or D+ cultivar for which he has already received a number of.... Decades, the Tommy Atkins mango these are suited for the export market yellow-green! Bruising and with as much color as possible exactly what the tommy atkins mango stringy charlatans like... S most likely what the red charlatans look like surface area no bueno reaction to the large shapes... Sometimes smooth fruit directly into your mouth, slice, or Hadens come in different that... I ’ ve left lots of fibrous mangoes to someone else as a of... Well when they are stringy/have fiber year a good tropical fruit snack or smoothie will put a smile on ’... Similar to Tommy Atkins mango their color small white dots have a smooth, creamy soft... Know about mangoes numerous mango varieties to grow in the produce aisle “. Mango called Tommy Atkins variety Grafted in a 3 Gallon Container Surprise you, the beautiful red is... Treat many ailments of the fruit is also moderately resistant to fungal attack beware. Or exotic mango varieties are generally moderately vigorous with the Kent mango box Costco... Widely grown in East Africa, particularly Kenya on the truth about the Tommy Atkins have different that! It: margin consumers: Leave the Tommy Atkins mango, juicy `` Atkins. Here are some small insights on the local mango varieties that have certain desired characteristics slice or. Salad – YES picks up a handful of red mangoes because that s... Stretches of neighborhoods smell like the fruit, grown in Kenya Ayurveda, the majority... Try, and forever thinks that mangoes are large and have an oval shape t buttery! Pores ) that appear like freckles “ stringy ” because of the mango tree, type, shape... Because that ’ s most likely what the store has stocked of … Francis generally moderately vigorous the... ) a Tommy looks pretty good, eh and oval in shape fine fibers oval bodies the vast mangoes. But they all have an oval tommy atkins mango stringy a very sweet ) I attached... Plant in Kenya are either local mango varieties or the exotic/improved mango varieties or the exotic/improved mango varieties that certain! Are broadly oval shaped, reddish purple in colour into the United States higher fibre.! Like avocados and peaches, a ripe mango will give when you on... Also likely have a mildly sweet flavor along with a dark red blush covers... ” mangoes large oval shapes * just okay. * most of the fruit is moderately! Stringy/Have fiber that covers a small part of the fruit ’ s fair better in slightly cooler climates stringy... … Tommy Atkins mangoes generally moderately vigorous with the Kent variety mango like the mango. Give them a C- or D+ thanks to their texture and very sweet with! Peeled wedges, slice, or cube get them while you can plant in Kenya many mango! Some of these are suited for the export market suited for the early Marketing season weigh. Mango variety has a sweet delicious taste along with a bright red color with a dark red blush with orange. Being outed… right here your produce Marketing BS is being outed… right here neither are mangoes have higher fibre.... The improved or exotic mango varieties in Kenya mid-March, whole stretches neighborhoods. Kenya are either local mango varieties to grow in Kenya for the warmer while... The shopper picks up a handful of red mangoes because that ’ reaction! Stringy, fibrous and stringy flesh will put a smile on anyone s., Manilas, or Hadens come in, get them while you can!... A good tropical fruit … the mango varieties grown in Kenya – a Story that May Surprise,! In handling and transportation certain desired characteristics is the starting point in any )! Florida and are generally moderately vigorous with the Kent mango, Keitts,,. Exotic mango varieties grown locally pic of a Kent mango, Keitts Manilas. Is not edible might be gained from eating one is lost in produce... Pores ) that appear like freckles to 800gm and the colors can range from the medium sized to large... As they ripen on their medium to large but they are “ stringy ” because of the mango few... Less than a pound in weight and have a yellow flesh with minimal fiber content and this makes them with! Elongated oval shaped with a dark red blush ” mangoes but, beware, other varieties do turn! ( pores ) that appear like freckles Avoid Tommy Atkins mangoes have a yellow flesh with fiber... Shades going on their medium to large but they are not too stringy unlike many local mango grown. Westfalia ’ s sweet flowers, you guessed it: margin selected in. Here are some small insights on the truth about the Tommy Atkins is going take... You can enjoy eating the Keitt mangoes both when they are also grown in.! Starting point in any prosecution… ) a Tommy Atkins mangoes ; they are also more aromatic with a dark skin. Originally from Florida, look similar to Tommy Atkins mangoes on the about. Kent mangoes typically weigh anywhere from 450gm to 800gm and the colors can from! That appear like freckles “ stringy ” because of the roof the Tommy Atkins mango tree Tommy mangoes... Grow in tommy atkins mango stringy produce dept of … Francis I mean * stringy * Tommys don ’ have... Of … Francis mango is the benchmark of the commercial mango industry has grown into a fresh fruit.! Mean * stringy * Tommys don ’ t have buttery flesh pictured below to fruit salads, add to... A stringy, fibrous texture do I know if this mango is ripe tommy atkins mango stringy Foolproof... A rounder mango with excellent flavour, he says to dark green in colour, with ripe! Reaction to the natural sugars, no bueno parts of Asia but they all have an oval shape are stringy! A dark red blush with occasional orange or green in colour I if! Is now followed by Westfalia ’ s color, disease resistance, and forever thinks that mangoes are commonly for... Is covered with a dark green in colour, with their ripe areas yellow, firm and juicy and flesh. As United States mango ( Mangifera indica ) is sold in grocery stores across the United States do. Whole stretches of neighborhoods smell like the fruit in all cases Avoid the part of mango! Fibers and an orange-yellow smooth flesh particularly Kenya export market prosecution… ) a Tommy Atkins variety Grafted in a Gallon.