Early season mangoes a good buy | Ipswich Food | Wineries and Restaurants in Ipswich

JUICY TREAT: Mackenzie Myerson with her cousin Dyan Webb, both enjoying fresh mangoes.

Sarah Harvey/ Ipswich Queensland Times

THE onset of warmer weather has heralded the early arrival of the glorious mango, a seasonal favourite for many Queenslanders.

Nigella Lawson says a good mango is best eaten in the bath due to the dribbles, but for many Queenslanders, the more juice, the better the mango.

The Calypso and Kensington Pride (more commonly known as the Bowen) are now both available in Ipswich and are here to stay until about March.

Prices vary from as little as $2.50 each up to almost $4 for a large Calypso. Most stores are also offering “two for $6” deals.

Yamanto Country Markets manager Aaron Sutherland said Calypso was beating the Bowen in the popularity stakes due to the cleaner skins and sweeter flesh.

“All the different varieties will continue to get better as the weather gets warmer,” Mr Sutherland said.

Yamanto mother-of-three Shelley Meryerson said raising three “fruit-bats” was easy in the summer.

“We definitely love the heat and do most of our living outdoors,” she said.

“I call the kids my little fruit-bats, especially in summer when the stone fruit is ripe. They can't get enough cold fruit.”

The mango harvest is made up of several varieties; the Bowen is the most common at 70 per cent, followed by Calypso eight per cent and the R2E2 at six per cent.