Mangoes

Some mangoes are more heavenly than others. The big fat ones, green and blushing red, tend to leave fibers in the teeth. 

The most sought after are the Champagne or tear-drop mangoes that are fiber-less with intense flavor. Find them in Oriental markets like Maxim's in Rockville and H Mart in Merrifield between December and March.

Less easy to find because they've only recently been allowed into the country are Alphonso mangoes from India where they're called 'the King of Mangoes'. Indians should know - they turn mangoes into wonderful lassi smoothies made with yogurt (or without). They serve them at the end of a meal. They cook them with curries. Or they just peel them and eat, the juice running down their chins. Alphonso have a wonderful complex flavor that really emphasizes that coconut nuance. If you can't find them in Asian markets - or sometimes Whole Foods - you can order them on line from Melissa's. But their season is short - basically in and out in May.

At Rasika on D St NW, Chef Vikram Sunderam cooks a great many Indian dishes with mangoes. But he uses regular mangoes. "The Alphonso," said his maitre d', "is for enjoying just as it is, all juicy and plain." 

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