Mangosteen is called the "queen of the fruit" and is praised for its refreshing taste. Its purple-black coat encloses four to eight white sweet and slightly acidic juicy segments. According to the legend, when English Queen Victoria found out about this exotic fruit growing far away in the southeast Asia, she promised to bestow knighthood on the one who could bring her a Mangosteen.
However, all attempts were doomed to failure, as the delicate fruit always had spoilt during the journey from Asia to Europe, that took months during the 19th century.
The fruit comes into season from May to August. It is sold at fruit stalls in Chinatown or even in supermarkets all over the city. Restaurants in Singapore serve delicious mangosteen puddings, mangosteen sorbet, and mangosteen cocktails as refreshing summer desserts. Or one can simply enjoy it at home. The husk of a ripe Mangosteen opens by gentle squeezing on either side. The fruit is likely to sprinkle, and its stains are not easy to remove. If the rind does not open, it means the fruit is still green and needs a few more days to ripen.
