Osteen — The Mango That Practically Grew Up Next Door

Osteen has quietly become the mango most people picture when they think "European mango" — it's the dominant variety grown along Spain's subtropical coast, close enough to travel to your door in a fraction of the time it takes fruit shipped from further afield. The shape is elegantly oval with a slight curve, and the skin shifts from pale green to yellow as it ripens, usually developing a heavy purple-red blush along the way — colour that's a helpful hint, though not the final word. The flesh underneath is yellow-orange, sweet with a mild tang, and fragrant in a way that's noticeably more aromatic than Kent or Keitt. There are a few fine fibers near the seed, but slicing away the two fleshy "cheeks" on either side avoids them almost entirely. As with most mangoes, the real ripeness test is a gentle press — it should give slightly, the same way a ripe avocado does.