I received some mangosteens from C.c. Claudia of Exotic Fruit Market in Grand Terrance. Mangosteens are one of the coolest looking of all fruits, particularly when the inner fruit is exposed while still partially encased in the outer rind.
They are very rightfully included in 1001 Foods You Must Taste Before You Die (2008, Quintessence). My daughter, Rachael, ranks it as her favorite fruit along with mango and pineapple.
They originated in Indonesia and are now grown primarily in Southeast Asia. The vast majority of the mangosteens imported to the U.S. come from Thailand.
The inner fruit looks much like an all-white peeled tangerine. It pulls apart into segments, like a tangerine, and has a sweet, slightly tangy, taste. The inedible rind is purple and relatively hard, but Rachael showed me how to squeeze the rind and break it open. It has almost a cardboard consistency. Some of the fruit segments contain an edible seed. I found one seed in each of the mangosteens I tried, but I did not try to eat the seed.
There is a legend that Queen Victoria of England wanted fresh mangosteen so badly that she offered (a) 100 pounds Sterling [per Wikipedia], or (b) a knighthood [per 1001 Foods] to anyone who could provide it to her. This is probably why mangosteen is known as the "Queen of Fruit."
These are delicious and are very approachable, even for the more timid eater. I'd love to be able to buy them in the grocery store.
ReplyDeleteIt looks a little like a purple onion unpeeled.
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