Valencia Pride Mangoes
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
This item was last sold on : 09/01/24
Description/Taste
Valencia Pride mangoes are large fruits with an elongated, narrow, and oblong appearance, averaging 18 to 21 centimeters in length and 7 to 10 centimeters in diameter. The skin is smooth, thin, and dark green when young, ripening to bright yellow with patches of red-pink blush with maturity. The skin is also covered in many small, pale yellow dots known as lenticels. Underneath the surface, the flesh is dense, yellow, semi-soft, and aqueous with a smooth, almost fiber-less consistency. In the center of the flesh, there is a semi-flat, slender, and inedible seed. Valencia Pride mangoes are aromatic with a honeyed scent and have a sweet flavor comprised of floral and fruity notes.
Seasons/Availability
Valencia Pride mangoes are available for a limited time during the summer.
Current Facts
Valencia Pride mangoes, botanically classified as Mangifera indica, are a mid-season, hybrid variety that belongs to the Anacardiaceae family. The sweet fruits are a part of an expanding group of mango varieties developed in Florida and are considered to be somewhat rare as the mangoes are only available for a few weeks through select growers in the summer. Valencia Pride mangoes are widely utilized by chefs when in season, favored for their sweet flavor and smooth flesh. The variety is also popular for home garden cultivation as the tree is vigorous and wide-spreading, providing ample shade.
Nutritional Value
Valencia Pride mangoes are an excellent source of vitamins A and C, potassium, and fiber, which can help stimulate and cleanse the digestive tract. The fruits also contain calcium, copper, iron, and folate.
Applications
Valencia Pride mangoes are best suited for raw preparations as their smooth, sweet flesh is showcased when consumed fresh, out-of-hand. The flesh can be sliced from the seed and chopped into salsa, or it can be added to green salads, fruit bowls, sushi, and used as a topping over ice cream and desserts. It can also be blended into smoothies or sorbets, lightly stir-fried with vegetables, or baked into cobblers, tarts, and pies. In addition to fresh applications, Valencia Pride mangoes can be pickled for extended use. Valencia Pride mangoes pair well with other fruits such as coconut, strawberries, citrus, and bananas, fish, shrimp, beets, green beans, red bell pepper, tomatoes, and arugula. Whole, unripe mangoes can be stored at room temperature up to ten days. When ripe, the fruits should be consumed for the best flavor, but they can also be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Valencia Pride mangoes are one of the varieties highlighted at the International Mango Festival, celebrated at the famous Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables, Florida. Before 2020, the two-day annual festival was held throughput the eighty-three-acre tropical garden and had been occurring for twenty-seven years, featuring live demonstrations, lectures, and vendors selling mango-infused food. The event attracted mango enthusiasts from all over the world, and in 2009, Valencia Pride mangoes were honored as a “curator’s choice” selection for its quality flavor. In the present day, with the dangers of COVID-19 threatening the health and safety of attendants, the festival was restructured into a month-long celebration known as the Mango Days of Summer. Throughout July, lectures and cooking demonstrations were virtually held for event participants to continue showcasing the diversity of mangoes found in Florida. The botanic garden also offered mango varieties for purchase to local visitors on a limited basis.
Geography/History
Valencia Pride mangoes are a descendant of the haden mango, which was a variety created from natural cross-pollination between the Indian mulgoba mango and another variety present in the home garden of Captain John J. Haden. The haden mango was discovered in 1910 by the captain’s wife, Florence, and became one of the founding varieties for the Florida mango industry. As haden mangoes increased in popularity and became rootstock for new varieties, Valencia Pride mangoes were developed and were recognized as a new variety in 1941. Today Valencia Pride mangoes have expanded beyond the United States and are grown in temperate and tropical climates around the world, including Western Africa and Australia.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Valencia Pride Mangoes. One
is easiest, three is harder.| San Diego Foodstuff |
|
Savory Citrus Salad |
| Suwannee Rose |
|
Grilled Mango and Arugula Salad |
| The Harvest Kitchen |
|
Mango Coconut Ice Cream |
| wbur |
|
Meringue Cookie with Mango-Lime Orange Curd |
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