The Tribune

THE regal and juicy mango, with its signature fragrance, and the crowned pineapple, adorned with prickly armor, are monarchs of fruit and flavor. A global symbol of hospitality, the pineapple majestically competes with the mango (Mangifera indica).

But for a child eating a mango in the sea, or someone letting the sweet golden juices of the fruit run down their hands and cheeks, the mango reigns supreme. A Bahamian boy of 12 excitedly recalled, decades later, visiting a farm off Soldier Road with his father and tasting a Champagne mango for the first time.

He vaguely realized that there were two kinds of mangos, the so-called “Haitian variety” and the Haden (or Hayden) mango. The former, most notably the Francique (or Madame Francis), is usually bright yellow green, with a peachy and spicy aroma. It’s very fibrous or hairy. It’s plentiful in Haiti, forming a part of the rural economy in its native land.

Introduced in the early 20th century through South Florida, the Haden variety is a named cultivar, which went global and next door to The Bahamas, becoming the parent of other mango cultivars subsequently developed in Florida.

But back to the story of the 12-year-old enlightened about the abundant varieties on that summer day in Nassau: The farmer handed him a Champagne mango, which is a trademarked marketing name for the Ataulfo or honey mango. It was love at first taste and it remains his lifetime and beloved choice of mango.

The mango was golden yellow. It was smaller, flatter, and sweeter than any mango he had before or since. It had a melt-in-your-mouth texture and honey-like richness. With a thinner seed, it was fiber-free. There were no strings attached.

He never fell out of love with the Champagne goodness.

Mangos have a universal appeal. The fruit has a legendary history and royal status in ancient empires. Its reign and prestige have been earned through 4,000-5,000 years of cultivation.

The trees live between 40 to 100 years with proper care. Some have been known to live to over 300 years. More resilient trees produce fruit for centuries.

The mango is cosmopolitan, a global traveller, that has seduced billions. It originated “in the foothills of the Himalayas and the broader South Asian region, which includes modern-day India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.”

It’s been a benign and benevolent colonizer, spreading through trade and exploration.  Buddhist monks in Southeast Asia in the fourth and fifth centuries introduced the fruit to more of Asia, followed by Persian traders, who brought it to the Middle East and East Africa.

In the 15th & 16th centuries, Portuguese traders introduced the fruit to West Africa and Brazil as part of a larger trade in spice and fruit. Spanish explorers brought mangos to Mexico and South America in 17th and 18th centuries. Then mango made its majesty known in the West Indies. By the 19th century, the fruit was introduced to Florida and California in the United States.

Today, mango is the most eaten tropical fruit in the world. It’s the national fruit of several countries. Mughal emperors cultivated vast mango orchards.

“In India, mangoes are powerful symbols of prosperity, abundance, love, and friendship. As the country's national fruit, they are deeply woven into everyday life, mythology, and religious ceremonies, and are frequently exchanged as gestures of goodwill and hospitality.”

The iconic paisley (or boteh) pattern found in fashion, was developed in India, inspired by the swelling curved shape of some unripe mangos. Mangos come in a variety of shapes: oval or egg-shaped, heart-shaped, and kidney-shaped.

There are 1,000 varieties cultivated globally, each with its own terroir and flavour. Some of the better-known varieties are the Alphonso, the Kesar, the Sindhri, the Kent, and Tommy Atkins.

Mangos are high in sugar. Diabetics be warned. But they are good for those with low potassium. Those with high potassium and various kidney ailments should eat them sparingly.

Still, the mango is a nutritional heavyweight, high in Vitamins A and C, calcium, and dietary fiber. “The fruit is also rich in natural bioactive chemicals like mangiferin and lupeol, which have been studied for their anti-inflammatory properties and wellness benefits.”

Now, the even better news:

There are many thousands of recipes in which mangos are used. The website, www.mango.org/recipes, contains ideas ranging from mangos in pasta, on veggie and hamburgers, on tacos, in salsas, in drinks with tequila or mezcal, candies, ice cream, sorbets, and a bakery of desserts.

What about a mango-smoked-salmon-cumber bite? Or making a mango vinaigrette dressing to put in the refrigerator? Or a chicken sandwich with mango relish? Or grilled mango and pineapple along with grilled fish, shrimp, and chicken? Or mango syrup or curd for pancakes?

Summer reach. “Mangos scornful!”  It’s a declaration of delight and frustration that only Bahamians understand to mean “plentiful.” Delight because we love ourselves some mango, and frustration because mangos are rotting on the ground and there are only so many one can eat, though some are going to eat five, six, or more a day. Watch out for mango belly.

You can hardly give mangos away.

A supervisor at one of the main grocery stores was overhead delicately chiding a tourist: “Darling, don’t buy them green American mangos. Go find some Bahamian mangos. If you lucky you can find them for free.”

Scores of mango trees are dropping, cum raining, an uncountable number of fleshy fruit throughout the archipelago. Trees that have never borne fruit, have joined the explosive and prolific parade of mangoes gone to bed (another Bahamianism foreigners won’t understand.)

With gratitude to the Father of Creation and Mother Nature, consider preserving and freezing mangos, instructions for which are easily found online. Don’t forget to squeeze lemon or lime juice on them before freezing.

Forget your worries for lil’ bit. And then forget the processed cheese on your nachos.

On their website, Love and Lemons, Jeanine Donofrio and Phoebe Moore, offer a salsa recipe that’s easy and healthy, with less salt, sugar, and fat than that yellow gooey addictive processed—yet delicious—cheese we like too much:

§ Mangos – Any ripe mango will work here, but Ataulfo or Champagne mangos...are my first pick for this recipe...

§ Red bell pepper – For color and crunch.

§ Red onion and garlic – For sharp, savory flavor.

§  Cilantro – It flecks the salsa with green and adds fresh flavor.

§ Fresh lime juice and zest – For a bright, tangy kick.

§ Jalapeño – For heat. [Bahamians might prefer goat pepper]

The recipe describes how to peel and score a mango, something Bahamians don’t have to be taught.

The final instruction: “Next, chop the remaining ingredients—the red pepper, onion, cilantro, and jalapeño. Grate the garlic and zest and juice the lime. Finally, mix everything together and season to taste...”

A final suggestion: Enjoy with cold drinks, friends and family, and gratitude for the blessings you have.

Happy Summer, dear readers