Mangosteens in NY

[roger desmond]

I just tried freeze-dried mangosteens from Trader Joe's. They are ok, but I'd like to try the fresh ones. Is there anywhere in NYC where I could buy fresh (or even canned) these elusive fruit?

[Gastro888]

Go down to Chinatown on a weekend & check out the stalls on Elizabeth near Canal. It's not mangosteen season, tho. Wait until it gets warmer.

[roger desmond]

Thank you!

I just tried freeze-dried mangosteens from Trader Joe's. They are ok, but I'd like to try the fresh ones. Is there anywhere in NYC where I could buy fresh (or even canned) these elusive fruit?

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[naes]

Go down to Chinatown on a weekend & check out the stalls on Elizabeth near Canal.  It's not mangosteen season, tho.  Wait until it gets warmer.

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Are you serious? There are FRESH mangosteens available in the US?

The FDA has banned the import of fresh mangosteens from SE Asia (due to pest concerns). If they're here and they're fresh, they're illegal, and I'd love to get my hands on them.

[Gastro888]

I thought the ban was lifted? Maybe I'm mistaken. I've seen fresh ones in Chinatown before but we'll just have to see what's at the market this year.

[cdh]

Aren't people growing them in Hawaii and Puerto Rico now? I'd heard they were in the pipeline to be available legally sometime soon.

[naes]

Aren't people growing them in Hawaii and Puerto Rico now?  I'd heard they were in the pipeline to be available legally sometime soon.

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Last year I read an article about a guy in Puerto Rico who had bought some land and was planting SE Asian fruits, including mangosteens. I just now tried to find that article online but didn't have any luck. However, what I did find is his website at http://www.panoramicfruit.com/, so it looks like he's managed to start producing fruit. He also maintains http://www.mangosteen.com/ and according to this site you can get mangosteens from Hawaii as well. It does seem like the supply is pretty limited, though. Supposedly, there is also going to be some irradiated mangosteens coming from Thailand as well. The site does acknowledge that you can find illegal mangosteens in some Chinatown markets around the US.

Looks like I need to dig a little deeper in Chinatown late summer or early fall.

[beayang]

I just bought mangosteens in Chinatown for $7 for a bag (12-14 in a bag). They are from Thailand and still pretty hard so I have no idea how they will taste.

[scottie]

I just bought mangosteens in Chinatown for $7 for a bag (12-14 in a bag).  They are from Thailand and still pretty hard so I have no idea how they will taste.

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Where in Chinatown? Were they available at a lot of different places? Have you had a chance to try them yet? Aren't they always hard on the outside?

I can barely contain my excitement! I had mangosteens a few times in Indonesia, over a decade ago, and they were by far the most delicious fruit I have ever had. I can't wait! Thanks for the tip!

[Jammin]

I bought a bag of them at the fruit stand on Elizabeth & Grand about a week ago. They were being kept in a styrofoam container, presumably having been frozen for transit - they even had a thin layer of frost on them.

They were pretty awful. Nowhere near as good tasty as the ones I had in Singapore and I am guessing the freezing process did something because the shell structure was very crumbly and the red color started to leak into the fruit as they thawed, rendering it a disgusting pink color instead of white - looked like uncooked gizzards or something.

At $8 a bag, those were so not worth it.

Edited September 24, 2007 by Jammin (log)

[scottie]

I just bought a bag of frozen 'steens today at Bangkok Center Grocery, 104 Mosco between Mott and Mulberry streets. $6 for 2 lbs.

I hunted around the fruit stalls for awhile, but I didn't spy any fresh ones, so I gave this place a shot and there they were in the freezer. I was a little disappointed about this, but decided to get them anyway. Now they are defrosting in my fridge and I really hope they turn out better than the ones Jammin got.

At least I have some good longans now, at any rate.

[LPShanet]

I just bought a bag of frozen 'steens today at Bangkok Center Grocery, 104 Mosco between Mott and Mulberry streets. $6 for 2 lbs.

I hunted around the fruit stalls for awhile, but I didn't spy any fresh ones, so I gave this place a shot and there they were in the freezer. I was a little disappointed about this, but decided to get them anyway. Now they are defrosting in my fridge and I really hope they turn out better than the ones Jammin got.

At least I have some good longans now, at any rate.

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As someone mentioned upthread, they recently approved the importation of fresh ones, as long as they've been through a special irradiation process. However, I've yet to see the "fruit" of this new windfall (sorry for the cheesy pun). I suspect once they're in season you'll start to see them appear at stands, but I've been told that the price of the process and importation has limited the distribution. Kind of like what we saw with Indian mangos earlier this year, only it's more of a niche fruit, so less demand.

[chefadamg]

Puerto Rico is harvesting a few this year. I've been lucky enough to have them here in Southampton NY for a few weeks. About 30-40 dollars a pound. 8 bucks for 12??? thats a bargain

[beayang]

Just to report back - the mangosteens I bought were awful! The outer skin was still rock hard after a day and so I cut them open with a knife.

The insides looked good, but the taste and smell were completely off. So disappointing.

scottie, the only other time I've had these was in Indonesia and the skin was thicker than these ones and gave in to pressure (similar to squeezing a navel orange) when ripe. To eat them, we were told to press the flower-shape stem on the bottom and that would kind of crack open the outer skin. I'm curious to hear how yours turn out!

[junehl]

I just got back from Chinatown in NYC. Was there on two different days.

I was so excited when someone mentioned that they had found fresh mangosteen in Chinatown. The last time I had eaten fresh mangosteen was 15 years ago in Hong Kong, haven't been back to Asia since.

I was so disappointed when all I could find were frozen mangosteen in yellow net bags that were being defrosted and sold. There may be fresh mangosteens somewhere in Chinatown, but I was not able to find it in the 9 hours I was there running round and round trying to find some Hong Kong TV series dvd and fresh mangosteens.

[scottie]

Just to report back - the mangosteens I bought were awful!  The outer skin was still rock hard after a day and so I cut them open with a knife. 

The insides looked good, but the taste and smell were completely off.  So disappointing. 

scottie, the only other time I've had these was in Indonesia and the skin was thicker than these ones and gave in to pressure (similar to squeezing a navel orange) when ripe.  To eat them, we were told to press the flower-shape stem on the bottom and that would kind of crack open the outer skin.  I'm curious to hear how yours turn out!

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Yeah, mine were awful, too. I also had to cut them open with a knife (having in the past opened fresh ones the way you describe), and inside the flesh had shrunk- it was not filling the cavity, as it should. Also, the texture was kind of watery, kind of grainy, due to the freezing.

And the flavor. I think the tannins from the rind seeped into the flesh, making it taste really bitter and nasty. What a tease! Overall, very disappointing.

[Amida0616]

I just got a bag of mangosteens along with some lychees and longons. There were about 3-4 stands that had them by mott and canal st.

I got a bag of about 8 mangosteens for 20 bucks, i have eaten 4 of them and i think they are really good (with the exception of one overripe one that i threw out) kind of a mixture of peach, citrus, lychee with a soft creamy texture

I have never tried mangosteen before so i cant compare it to say, one picked off the tree in thailand, however i found them to be quite delicious.

For sure it was worth the effort and money to get them, although their exotic and rare nature added to the experience somewhat.

Edit: The card claimed they were fresh from thailand. Not sure if they were ever frozen or not.

Edited June 14, 2008 by Amida0616 (log)

[roger desmond]

I just got a bag of mangosteens along with some lychees and longons. There were about 3-4 stands that had them by mott and canal st.

I got a bag of about 8 mangosteens for 20 bucks, i have eaten 4 of them and i think they are really good (with the exception of one overripe one that i threw out) kind of a mixture of peach, citrus, lychee with a soft creamy texture

I have never tried mangosteen before so i cant compare it to say, one picked off the tree in thailand, however i found them to be quite delicious.

For sure it was worth the effort and money to get them, although their exotic and rare nature added to the experience somewhat.

Edit: The card claimed they were fresh from thailand. Not sure if they were ever frozen or not.

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[roger desmond]

I just got some in Montreal chinatown-$4.95 per lb. Wonderful! They seem to keep for several weeks. Fresh, citrusy taste, as you describe.

I just got a bag of mangosteens along with some lychees and longons. There were about 3-4 stands that had them by mott and canal st.

I got a bag of about 8 mangosteens for 20 bucks, i have eaten 4 of them and i think they are really good (with the exception of one overripe one that i threw out) kind of a mixture of peach, citrus, lychee with a soft creamy texture

I have never tried mangosteen before so i cant compare it to say, one picked off the tree in thailand, however i found them to be quite delicious.

For sure it was worth the effort and money to get them, although their exotic and rare nature added to the experience somewhat.

Edit: The card claimed they were fresh from thailand. Not sure if they were ever frozen or not.

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[melkor]

They can be imported fresh into Canada, they only seem to be available frozen (or defrosted) in SF, LA, and NYC - I haven't seen them available elsewhere in the states (aside from Hawaii and PR where they are grown locally).

[Sethro]

Agri Exotic should have them.

[prasantrin]

If you can, dry the rinds and use them to make a sort of tea. It's supposed to be very healthful.

[Dave the Cook]

I have it on pretty good authority that fresh mangosteens will be in distribution this fall throughout much of the US.

[tb86]

I have it on pretty good authority that fresh mangosteens will be in distribution this fall throughout much of the US.

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I have acess to tons of mangosteens, and can ship to the US but lets just say they wont be cheap, they are in season here in thailand now, in the fall they will be avaliable but t a much higher price

[tb86]

I have it on pretty good authority that fresh mangosteens will be in distribution this fall throughout much of the US.

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I have acess to tons of mangosteens, and can ship to the US but lets just say they wont be cheap, they are in season here in thailand now, in the fall they will be avaliable but t a much higher price

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we also have mangosteen wine in thailand pretty good stuff, never seen it in the us, my minimum shipment for fresh is about 60 kilos so if you guys are reaaaly hungry let me know