As previously mentioned, it’s mango season and mangoes have been pouring in from the trees of various family friends. Now mangoes are not a cookie cutter fruit. They come in many different varieties. I confess however that I am no mango connessiuer. All I know is some have smooth seeds, some have very hairy seeds (which mom says they used to turn into dolls when she was a kid), and some are very tiny and pinkish in skin color. Beyond that I couldn’t tell you which physical type matches which name. I’m sure my readers can help me out on that one

What I do know is that the background mangoes in the above are the popular strain known as Julie Mango It’s my favourite.

The mangoes in the foreground here are what my father says are called Doudouce They are really sweet but quite fibrous

Now I have a confession to make. Most people that I know love to rip into a mango at room temperature, and have the juice dripping down their arm as they gnaw away at the flesh. Apparently this is ‘bliss’ and to eat a mango any other way is to be missing out. Well I must be missing out cos I’ve tried to eat a mango that way once or twice and found it utterly miserable and underwhelming. No, for me a mango has to be eaten ice cold cut into slivers in an equally cold bowl with a cold fork. Sounds picky? Probably But that’s how I grew up eating it as a child and, as I think most of us would agree, these childhood habits and norms are the ones that play a major role in our culinary eccentricities throughout life

Excerpted From the Trinidad Express:

Make Mangoes Your Favourite Dish (7th July 2007)

MANGO… what could taste better than biting into the first Julie mango of the season? When I was a kid as soon as the mangoes started to get full everybody was making chow. Now I anxiously watch our tree for the first fruits to change colour. A chilled, juicy mango is my favourite treat while watching night-time television.

Mango is a true ‘comfort food’ because like papaya, mango contains a stomach-soothing enzyme. Mangoes not only make you feel good, they are great health wise because they contain plenty of fiber, vitamins A and C, and potassium. One large mango has about a hundred calories with no cholesterol and half of the necessary daily fiber.

There are over a thousand varieties of mangoes throughout the world. Trinidad has starch, rose, Julie, calabash, doodoo, turpentine, Graham, ten-pound, spice, grafted and others. My personal favourites are doodouce and calabash.

Green mango can be prepared into kutchela, chutney preserves, takari and amchur. Choose your favourite type and seek out a tree vendor.

Below are the words and music to a popular folk song extolling the various varieties of mango which can be found locally. I think it has been drummed into the consciousness of every school child of my generation

Mangoes

Mangoes, Mangoes, Mangoes

Verse 1:
Mango vere, Mango teen
Mango vere, Mango teen
Ah want a penny to buy mango vert mango teen
gimme ah penny to buy mango vert mango teen
Mango doudou sou se matin
savez-vous all for me
Mango dou dou sou se matin
Savez-vous all for me

Mangoes, Mangoes, Mangoes

Verse 2:
Mango vere, Mango rose,
Mango Vere, Mango rose..
Ah want a penny to buy mango vert mango rose
Gimme a penny to buy mango vert mango rose

(thanks to Tennille for sending me the complete lyrics.

Ready to try some of my favourite Mango Recipes? Check out the below

• Coco-Mango Smoothie ^[1]
• Sarina’s Tropical Mango Hot Sauce ^[2]
• Mango Cake ^[3]

This post was originally published August 2nd 2007. It has been updated once since then.

About Sarina ^[5]

Passionate foodie, founder of Trinigourmet and Caribbean Lifestyle Maven. Author of "Glam By Request: 30+ Easy Caribbean Recipes" ^[6]