When Alphonso mangoes came into this country from India
in 2007, they already had a following. Mango fanciers
consider them the best. They're only easy to find for a
brief spell in spring, but happily, they can be consumed
year round in frozen, creamy, delectable form, thanks to
Connecticut-based Mastani Ice Cream. The company does
make other flavors, but the Alphonso mango (spelled
Alphanso on the label) is the flagship product ($4-$5
for 1 quart; $3.29-$3.49 for 1 pint) and one taste will
tell you why. Kishor Gore, Mastani's executive director,
hails from the region where the prized fruit is grown:
"The Alphonso is a top-notch and best-quality mango; it
is the king of mangoes." Put it into a rich,
ultra-smooth, delicately flavored ice cream, and it's
heaven in a bowl. Available at Patel Bros., 425 Moody
St., Waltham, 781-893-1003, and 504 Boston Turnpike,
Shrewsbury, 508-842-9600; Bombay Bazaar, 276 Turnpike
Road, Westborough, 508-836-2229.
