Shh, they're coming!

[lsanderson]

Mangosteens Arrive, but Be Prepared to Pay
By DAVID KARP

DON’T be surprised if you see a round purple fruit in a locked jewel case at the grocery. Small shipments of fresh mangosteen, a Southeast Asian fruit legendary for its exquisite flavor but long unavailable legally on the United States mainland, started coming in last week from Puerto Rico.

Concerns about pests on foreign mangosteens kept them from being imported. But now the first commercial crop in Puerto Rico is ready for shipment.

About 80 pounds are scheduled to arrive by FedEx in New York and Los Angeles this morning, said the grower, Ian Crown, and the season should last for a few more weeks.

They will go to luxury hotels and markets, said Erwan Landivinec of Baldor, the East Coast distributor. Mitchell Spitz, the owner of the Orchard, a high-end produce store in Brooklyn, said he paid $30 a pound wholesale and was selling the fruit for $45 a pound (about $10 each).

Louis Balducci, a partner in the Agata & Valentina store and restaurant on the Upper East Side, said he would offer a fresh mangosteen as a dessert special at the restaurant. “How could I sell it in the store at these prices?” he said. “Next to the caviar?”

Bearing Fruit

Mangosteens can be bought at these shops and restaurants:

AGATA & VALENTINA RISTORANTE 1513 First Avenue (79th Street); (212) 452-0691. $11 each.

THE ORCHARD 1367 Coney Island Avenue (Avenue J), Brooklyn; (718) 377-1799. $45 a pound.

SCHMIDT’S MARKET 120 North Sea Road, Southampton, N.Y.; (631) 283-5777. $60 a pound.

Raise a Glass for the Taste, Not the Toast

LET’S begin with a couple of questions. Forgive me if I offer some answers as well.

First, who likes Champagne?

Just about anybody who likes wine, is my impression. Sure, some people may complain about the bubbles or insist that Champagne gives them headaches, but on the whole the popping of the cork provokes Pavlovian tingles of pleasure. More

Tasting Report: Power, Grace and Bubbles

Charles Heidsieck $90 ***

Blanc des Millénaires Brut 1995

Elegant and balanced with complex flavors of flowers, brioche and minerals. (Importer: Rémy Amérique, New York)

José Dhondt Mes Vieilles Vignes $70 ***

Grand Cru Brut 2002

Sheer, delicate and fresh with flavors of lemon, flowers and minerals. (Becky Wasserman Selections/USA Wine Imports, New York)

Guy Charlemagne Brut Réserve NV $70 ** ½

Magnum

Light, delicate and subtle; almost like a white Burgundy. (Fruit of the Vines, New York)

Jean Milan Carte Blanche Brut NV $35** ½

Lively and refreshing with floral, citrus and brioche flavors. (Terry Theise Estate Selection, Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, N.Y.)

Pol Roger Brut Chardonnay $95 ** ½

Extra Cuvée de Réserve 1998

Fuller bodied with a rich, chalky texture and flavors of brioche and citrus. (Frederick Wildman & Sons, New York)

BEST VALUE

Drappier Signature Brut NV $27** ½

>Elegant and balanced with citrus and mineral flavors.(I&B Imports, Chicago)

Gaston Chiquet Champagne d’Ay $36 ** ½

Brut Grand Cru

Dry, tangy and fresh with lingering floral and earthy flavors. (Terry Theise Estate Selection, Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, N.Y.)

Billecart-Salmon Grand Cru Brut NV $65 **

Racy and bright with aromas of apple, flowers, mint and anise. (Robert Chadderdon Selections, New York)

Pascal Doquet Grand Cru Brut 1997 $56**

Fuller bodied with flavors of lemon, flowers and vanilla. (Robert Kacher Selections, Washington

Pierre Peters Grand Cru Brut NV $35 **

Balanced and refreshing with floral and apple aromas. (Terry Theise Estate Selection, Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, N.Y.)