When E and I were on our road trip to western Kenya last week, we noticed that little round orange fruit were ubiquitous in the area around Kisumu. We found out that they were a variety of mango, and for about 15 cents, we bought a few and carved them up. Easily the best fruit I have ever eaten. So fragrant and so sweet, like mango candy. E has been grossed out by mangos ever since she tried the vaguely pine-flavored mangos that show up in the US, but I forced her to try this. She immediately asked me to cut another.
We continued to gorge ourselves over the next few days, and upon returning to the coast, the mango binge has continued. The mangos on the coast are much larger and not quite as sweet, but they’re cheap and abundant. Yesterday I told E “don’t judge me, but I’m going to have to eat a lot of mangos in the near future”. I don’t know how long this “small season” is going to last, so I have to take advantage. Mango and avacado salsa has already been made, and mango chutney is on the agenda. Tonight I remembered salt and cayenne on mango. So good.
Also, I finally learned how to properly cut a mango. Follow along.
1) Hold the mango stem side up, with the other tip resting on the counter.
2) With a sharp paring knife, filet down the flat sides of the pit, as close to the pit as possible, without hacking off too much of the fiber.
3) Repeat 2 on the other side.
4) Score the flesh in a crisscross pattern all the way down to the skin.
5) Invert the skin so the flesh pops out in a most pleasing manner
6) Peel the remainder of the skin from the pit and suck the rest of the fruit off of the pit
7) Eat with a spoon or just straight from the skin
8) Repeat indefinitely (I had 3 yesterday)
I’ll keep you posted on the results of the mango chutney making.
Next thing you know, this will be a cooking blog. Very pro looking photos. Is that your back yard in the photo?
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you were able to get in on the season. Justin is also a big mango fan.
love you!
McMom
mango avocado salsa!!!! im jealous. as you know the produce in Midwestern December leaves... everything.... to be desired. Eat up while you can!
ReplyDeleteLoved this. I am also a mango fan, but I have be careful. I too used to suck the fruit off of the seed until my entire mouth swelled up. I still eat mango, but not the fruit closest to the seed. Probably the gasoline! Love you, Aunt K
ReplyDeleteomg i love love LOVE mangos! i ate at least one every day when i lived in mexico. and those little yellow ones that you have in the pictures are the best. in mexico they are called "mango manila" i guess named after manila in the philippines. so much better than the ones in the store here in the u.s. i remember one time my host mom packed me a mango as a snack for a day trip but she didn't give me a knife and i was mystified. how was i going to eat it? my solution was to not eat it, and then a few days later i figured you can peel them and eat them just like that. messy, but delicious.
ReplyDeletee i'm glad you've discovered the joy of mangos as well. your life will never be the same.
Wonderful mangoes and ours surely cannot measure up, but there's something so magical about tropical fruit when there's that [insert growly voice here] evil snow falling. Thank goodness for the ability to get even marginal mangoes here in the winter.
ReplyDeleteWould love the recipes? Please...
Hugs and love,
L/Mom