Oh boy! Best bit of diplomacy of recent years — actually, probably the only good diplomacy recently: About a year ago, the US made some deal with India to share nuclear technology…AND MANGOES!

Now, finally, everything is in place, and the first shipments are arriving.

I’ve never had an Indian mango–wait, Peter reminds me I did, in Amsterdam, and it was fucking delicious–so this is extremely exciting.

There’s a whole article in the NY Times: “A Luscious Taste and Aroma from India Arrives at Last”.

The Indian mangoes arriving on our shores are of the Alphonso variety, it turns out. I had one of this kind in Mexico a couple of years ago–it was memorably sweet and creamy, but not so memorable that I could be certain of the name when I got back here (I never know when I hear something in another language, even if it is a proper name). Over the years, I’d nearly convinced myself it was an Ataulfo, even those weren’t quite as tasty, but I could at least get them in the store.

The bad news: The Indian mangoes are irradiated (I don’t know how I feel about this, really). And they’re ten times the price of your regular mango. Yipes. That’s what happens when you fly the babies halfway around the world.

I’m still excited. I’ve got five dollars, a sharp knife and a super-absorbent napkin for wiping my chin.