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Mangoes
What's the number-one consumed fruit in the world? Apples? Bananas? Nope, it's mangoes! They are
consumed worldwide by a factor of three to one over bananas and ten to one over apples. Mangoes
are starting to gain popularity in the United States due in part to the increased "globalization"
of cooking in the United States. Mangoes are not expected to become number one because most varieties
including my favorite, the Manila Mango, never make it into the United States, because their thin,
delicate skin will not survive the heat treatment required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to
remove potential larvae. Still, there are plenty from Mexico, Brazil, and Haiti, and maybe someday
the mango will be number one in the United States, too.
Mangoes are staples in India, south Asia, and Latin America. Mexico is far and away the biggest U.S.
supplier followed by Peru, Haiti, Venezuela, Guatemala, and Brazil. Domestically, California and Florida
are the primary growers of mangoes.
Selection & Storage
With the exception of the Kiett and Kent varieties, pick mangoes with the least amount of green as
possible. Look for bright yellow and red hues instead. The Kiett may occasionally have a yellow or
orange blush. Smell the stem end for good fragrance.
Mangoes that are allowed into the United States have a thick skin, due to the required heat treatment
during importation that protects the flesh from most damage. To check a mango for ripeness, hold it in
the palm of your hand and give it a gentle squeeze. It should give slightly. The skin should be taut,
not shriveled.
Mangoes should be stored at temperatures between 55°F and 65°F in a dry place. As with all tropical
fruit, whole unripe mangoes should never be stored in the refrigerator. Unripe mangoes will ripen in
two to three days when left on a countertop. The Tommy Atkins variety may take up to five or six days.
Once ripened, mangoes can be stored in the refrigerator, but should be consumed within a few days.
Preparation
Mangoes are known to be a messy fruit because they have a large, flat pit and lots of juice. To prepare
a mango, place it, narrow side facing you, on a cutting surface. Slice through the mango as close to the
pit as possible on one side. Then repeat on the other. You now have two thick mango slices and the pit,
surrounded by a small amount of mango flesh.
Take one of the two thick slices and place, skin side down, on a cutting surface. Make vertical and
horizontal slashes through the flesh (but not through the skin), as if you were going to play
tick-tack-toe. How big the mango is and how small you want the cut pieces to be will determine the
actual number of cuts.
Hold the sides of the mango slice with each hand and pop up the fruit by turning the skin in an
inside-out manner, and then eat the fleshy cubes or cut them away for whatever dish you're preparing.
Peel the skin that remains around the pit and cut away whatever flesh remains attached to the pit, and
eat it over the sink.
Tony's Tip
Don't worry if your mango has a few surface blemishes. Some mangoes have black spots that
frighten away some consumers. But they're just a sign that the sugar content is high. In
fact, we look for mangoes with some black spots.
Tony's Favorite Recipe
Mango Shrimp
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Varieties
There are hundreds of varieties of mangoes varying in size from a few inches to ones that weigh as much
as 5 pounds! Most varieties turn yellow as they ripen except the Kiett and Kent, which can be ripe while
still green in color. The flesh is a comparable yellow-orange.
Haden is the number-one mango in production,
distinguished by a smooth skin and an oval, slight kidney shape. It weighs just under a pound, has a
flat, oval pit, bright yellow-orange flesh, and firm texture.
Kent is large and plump (about 1¼ pounds) and
full of juice and meat with little fiber or string. The flash is sweet with good tropical flavor.
Tommy Atkins is the brightest mango,
distinguished by its red, hard skin. It's shaped like a Haden, but is not as flavorful.
Kiett is a large mango whose weight can reach
3 pounds, although it averages slightly more than half of that. It is only moderately sweet with juicy,
yellow flesh.
Francisque is a medium-size, flat mango from
Haiti with deeper orange flesh and apricot-like flavor qualities.
Van Dyke is a small mango with a distinctive
protruding nipple and a pineapple-like flavor.
Atalufo is another small mango.
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