“You can’t have-a de Mango!”
I am definitely on board with the trend of eating fruits and vegetables when they are in season. Summer brings many new fruits and vegetables to the grocery store, but one remains a mystery to many Americans - the mango. According to this Sacramento Bee article, more than half of Americans have never tasted a mango. While I have tasted mangoes, I have to admit that my mango experience has been limited to blended margaritas.
One of the intimidating things about buying a fruit that you are not entirely familiar with is knowing how to pick a good one. The Bee offers you some tips to do just that:
Look at the stem of a mango before you buy it: If it looks like it is sitting up on a hill, that is an immature mango and will not ripen. The stem should be sitting in a little valley.
Never leave a mango in the open air to ripen. There are no natural oils on the mango to keep it from dehydrating. If left in the open air, it will most likely shrivel before it ripens. Cover it with a newspaper on your counter. When it smells like tropical paradise, it is ready.
Setting aside the issue of whether I can tell if the stem is “sitting up on a hill,” I think I will give mangoes a try in this Rachael Ray recipe for Asian 5 Spice Barbecued Pork Tenderloins with Mango Citrus Salsa and Scallion Frankie Wraps (pictured above, photo from Food Network). Sounds perfect for a first attempt at trying mangoes unblended and without tequila, no? The author of the Bee article recommends trying “a mango peeled, with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and a dash of cayenne pepper.” I like Rachael’s idea better.
PS - Anyone know who said the title of this post and where it was said?
