So, how do you get 20 Mexicans at an outdoor market to stop and stare at you with expectant smiles on their faces? Order your sliced mango with chamoy.

I’m certain I once had an ice cream in Mexico City with chamoy, and it was sweet and tasty. But the one I had at the Olympic Mercado in Los Angeles came as a big surprise. It turns out to be plums or apricots pickled in salt and vinegar that Mexicans use to enhance the flavor of mangoes and other fruits. In this case, it was served very warm, and heavily laced with dried chile.

With so many amused faces watching me, I decided to take a big sip of the chamoy through the straw that came with it. Unwilling to admit my shock and surprise, I smiled and declared it to be “muy interesante.” I guess it was pretty interesting, but I couldn’t eat more than a few bites, and threw it away once I was out of sight.

I suspect this was just a bad introduction, so I’ll be keeping an eye out for another opportunity to try this popular delicacy.