The Ataulfo, also called Champagne, young, baby, yellow, honey, manilla, Adaulfo, or Adolfo is a mango cultivar from Mexico, and, prior to that, Hawaii, of Indonesian origin. Ataulfo mangos are golden yellow and generally weigh between 6 and 10 ounces, with a somewhat sigmoid (oblong) shape and a gold-blushed yellow skin. Their buttery flesh is not fibrous, and they have a thin pit. Their flesh is a deep yellow and high in sugar (15 grams per 100-gram serving), with a rich, spicy flavor. They are rich in vitamin C and dietary fibre. Ataulfo mangos have only recently gained popularity in the United States, though they have been a major crop in Mexico for decades. They come from the Mexican states of Michoacan, Sinaloa, Nayarit, Jalisco, Veracruz and Chiapas, and are sold between March and September.As of 2009, they are the second-most popular variety of mango sold in the United States, behind the Tommy Atkins. In the Mexican state of Chiapas, mango production was, as of 2008, the sixth most important agricultural activity, based on cultivated surfaces, following corn, beans, coffee, sugar cane and cocoa. Ataulfo production in that state was concentrated in the Soconusco coastal region. Overall, producer organizations estimated that there were 18,000 hectares of Ataulfo mangoes in production in the state.

Ataulfos have a very small seed, so there is a high flesh to seed ratio. Flavor: Sweet and creamy Texture: Smooth, firm flesh with no fibers Color: Vibrant yellow Shape: Small, flattened oval shape Ripening Cues: Skin turns to a deep golden color and small wrinkles appear when fully ripe. Squeeze gently to judge ripeness. Peak Availability: March to July Primary Source Country: Mexico

The Tommy Atkins mango is a reasonably sweet though rather fibrous mango, with a thick, leathery skin. However! It ships well, and let’s be honest, a decent mango is better than no mango at all. Had I not discovered the joys and diversity of the wide assortment of superior mango varieties, I would have happily enjoyed Tommys for the rest of my life. To be fair, much of the blandness of flavor can be attributed to the state of underipeness growers ship them in, in order that they be ripe when they reach the market after a long ride in a shipping container. The subpar flavor would be tolerable though were it not for the highly fibrous nature of the flesh. Picking mango fibers out of your teeth is a nuisance most of us could do without. All this being said, until changes and improvements in growing and shipping allow a wider selection of mango varieties is introduced to the market, the Tommy Atkins mango is the one we’ve got, and like a wise man once said, Love the one you’re with. Flavor: Sweetish Texture: Fibrous Color: Green and orange-yellow with a deep red blush over much of the surface. Shape: Oblong oval Ripening Cues: No visual cues. Squeeze gently to judge ripeness. Peak Availability: March to July and October to January Primary Source Country: Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador, Brazil, Peru Origin: This cultivar originated from a Haden seed planted in the 1920s at Fort Lauderdale in Florida, and was released for marketing in 1948. Etymology: unknown.