By Luci
Try it! You’ll love it!!
This fruit from SE Asia is a treasure. Like any treasure, it’s protected. A dark, reddish-purple husk encloses soft, lush, juicy, snow-white segments with ambrosial taste. Its sweetness is complex and augmented by clear tart notes. Many consider the mangosteen the best of tropical fruits; it is often called the queen of them all.
Mangosteens are scarce and hard to find, even in Asia. A mangosteen tree will only grow in tropical environments with enough, but not too much, rain. A seedling does not like to be transported, so many are lost in transport to a grower’s orchard. There, the tree will take about 8 years to mature and produce fruit, but it does so only in rainy season. It is frequently invaded by tropical pests. Consequently, mangosteens were banned in the U.S. until 2007. Even now, imports must be irradiated.
So scarce and so scrumptious - no wonder mangosteens are both valuable and expensive. But worth whatever it takes to get some. You will find mangosteens in large Asian markets and online. Here on Staten Island, the Chinese grocery on Hylan Boulevard often carries them.
How to Eat Mangosteens
Plain
For such a special and unusual fruit, highlight its taste by presenting it au naturale. Some like to present it in its shell (shown above with the earring of a Balinese dancer). Sometimes, e.g., when not all segments will release quickly from the shell, a plate (shown above with a background of Javanese cloth) is preferable.
If exquisite, the mangosteen flesh is also delicate so don’t cook it or smother it with a sauce or add it to a mix of other ingredients. However, there are possibilities that enable the unique mangosteen taste to shine.
With Cheese
Fruit and cheese are a classical combo because the taste of one enhances the taste of the other (or should). I tried three different cheeses. When presented separately as shown, you may taste first the mangosteen and then the cheese or pop both together into your mouth. Trying both ways makes the experience quite interesting. Of the cheeses I tried, provolone was the clear winner. The two together did what the combo is supposed to do - both tastes seemed to almost explode in the mouth. A gouda was a loser; its caramel flavor fought with the sweetness of the mangosteen and the mangosteen lost. A good Swiss cheese from a specialty cheese store was okay but not wonderful.
With Balsamic Vinegar
Another classic fruit companion is balsamic vinegar. Just a drop on a strawberry or piece of pear or melon can be transforming. Would it work with mangosteen? I used a very nice, aged balsamic vinegar but was not impressed. It’s possible that a different balsamic vinegar would work some magic. I tried an inexpensive one and one infused with fig, but none were impressive.
Fruit Salad
Shouldn’t mangosteen make a great fruit salad? I did not find that to be so. I mixed mangosteen with cherries, strawberries, plums and melons. They all seemed to bury the delicate taste of the mangosteen. I liked best a simple combo of orange melon (Hami* in this case) and mangosteen. Each taste came through clearly and deliciously but neither enhanced or detracted from the taste of the other. I found the simple appearance of two distinct colors attractive.
*Hami melons have a distinctive taste and texture.
With Prosciutto and Basil
Don’t you love prosciutto and melon? Then you will love exchanging the melon for mangosteen. The same synergy is there. A favorite appetizer of mine wraps prosciutto around a slice of melon and a leaf of basil. Substituting mangosteen for melon was a winner. Adding spicy basil boosted the complexity of the experience.
May I reiterate: Try it! You’ll love it!!
Comments