Tropigold — The Mango That Jumps the Queue

Tropigold is a deliberately engineered early-bird — bred in Australia from a cross of Irwin and R2E2 and released specifically to ripen weeks ahead of the mangoes Spain is best known for, like Osteen. That head start doesn't come at the expense of quality: the flesh is completely fiber-free, with an orange, peach-toned colour and a sugar content that runs notably high, giving it a sweetness that's hard to distinguish from a good peach or nectarine. The flavour is refreshing and aromatic rather than heavy, which makes it an easy mango to reach for even outside the usual season. As with most mangoes, the fruit's colour offers a rough guide, but the reliable test is a gentle press near the stem — ripe fruit should give slightly without feeling soft.