Tuesday, April 15, 2014

M is for Mango: Yummy Fruits A-Z

(Mango trees can grow more than 100 feet)
Mangoes are native to South Asia and were first grown in India over 5000 years ago. Later, around 300 or 400 A.D., the fruit was introduced to the Middle East, East Africa and South America. Today it is the national fruit of India and the Philippines, while the tree is the national tree of Bangladesh. 


Mangoes are an important part of South Asian culture. For instance, taking a basket of mangoes as a gift to someone in India is considered a gesture of friendship. In several cultures the fruit and leaves are used as decorations for weddings, religious ceremonies, and other public gatherings.   

Nutritionally, mangoes are full of healthy dietary fiber, vitamin C, Vitamin A, vitamin B6, potassium, minerals and anti-oxidant compounds. Health studies have claimed that mangoes protect against certain cancers and help control blood pressure and heart rate, and more. The skin of mangoes has been linked to lowering high cholesterol, and diabetes prevention. However, people should be aware of the mango latex allergy, which affects some individuals when eating unripe or raw mango. 

Mangoes were first imported to the U.S. in the 17th century, but they had to be pickled prior to shipping for preservation. Today fresh mangoes are grown and distributed worldwide. The fruit sold in the U.S. mostly comes from Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Guatemala, and Haiti. Although India is the largest producer of mangoes, production is mostly for its population.

A common way to eat a mango in Latin America is on a stick. The skin is peeled back and the flesh is seasoned with salt, lime juice, and/or chili powder. In India, people squeeze the fruit and suck the juice through a hole at the top. Other ways to enjoy mango are in fruit smoothies, salads, salsas, chutneys, sauces for fish, chicken and pork, and desserts.

Mango Recipe


"Sassy Mangoes"

1 cup granulated white sugar
1 cup water
2 (2-inch) cinnamon sticks 
4 cups mangoes sliced (3-4 medium fruits) 
1 cup brandy
1 tablespoon (plus 1 teaspoon) cornstarch

In 12-inch frying pan, add sugar, water, and cinnamon sticks. Bring mixture to boil. Turn down heat and simmer 2 to 3 minutes until liquid is clear. Add mangoes and gently stir to coat with sugar mixture. Simmer for 3 minutes. Remove mangoes with slotted spoon, and place in quart-size jars, filling jars 2/3 full. 

Add brandy to remaining syrup in pan. Dilute cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water; add to brandy syrup. Stir over medium heat until thick. Cool mixture. Pour cooled mixture over mangoes in jars. The jars can also be sealed and stored for future use. Serve over vanilla ice cream for a special treat, or alone as an after-dinner cordial. Yield: 2 quarts. A holiday treat! 


Mango Jokes


 

Q: What is red, yellow, green and goes up and down?

A: A mango in an elevator!




 
Q: How do you make a mango shake?

A: Take it to a scary movie!





Mango Books


--A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass (2005) (young adult)

--The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros (1991) (young adult)

--Mango Lucky by Bill Myers (2012)
(adult fiction)



--Castle Mango by Narise Konoh 
and Muku Ogura (2014) (adult fiction)

--The Mango Bride by Marivi Soliven (2013) (adult fiction)


Mango Movies

--The Mango Tree (1977)
(set in early 1940s; Australia) 



--Mango Yellow (2002)
(Brazilian underground; 
set around bar/hotel)


--Mango Tango (2009)
(comedy; thriller in New York City)






Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mango; http://www.mango.org/mango-fun-facts



17 comments:

  1. Absolutely love mangoes. They are a real treat here as they are only available for a limited time in the summer.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I never knew about the latex thing. I so enjoy mangoes, but not cutting/peeling them! (I know there is an easy way, but I always make it tricky)

    ReplyDelete
  3. My mouth is watering. We could do with a special way in trying to form friendships here in the UK. A basket of mangoes is a lovely gesture.
    Sassy mangoes in brandy - I'd want a special occasion every day for those. I'd better not try.
    Loved the jokes.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Love, love, love mangoes. I just take a knife and cut and eat them. I can eat 2 in one night and have to pace myself. Sometimes, though, when I buy them, they are already going bad inside and you don't know from the outside. I think they must be picked too early or something. One can have a lot of mango chutney around here and many also make sauces, both hot and mild with mango

    ReplyDelete
  5. Mango is a fruit that makes a lot of people worried how to cut it. I'm among those afraid of it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. The mango on a stick sounds really good!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Mango smoothies are delicious! I don't see them around here all that often, though, which is a shame

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ooooo mangoes! I'm from india and I can tell you NOTHING beats mangoes.
    Sania @ Fragile Words

    ReplyDelete
  9. The mango recipe looks really good! My husband LOVES mangos...I think we have some sitting in our fruit basket right now! I never knew there were so many books and movies with Mango in the title. Pretty cool!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Sharon. I had no idea you could eat the skin of the mango. Maybe I will try adding it to a fruit smoothy. I need more recipes without so much sugar. I'm going to gain even extra weight if I try all of these terrific suggestions. Enjoying your posts. Maria from So very true. We all have to wrestle with the concept of keeping our hearts focused on being God pleasers and not man pleasers in this regard, or else we allow Satan a foothold through an area of weakness. Thanks for your perspective. It's a blessing. God bless, Maria from Delight Directed Living

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi Sharon,

    Thanks for all that info on mangoes. They are one of my favourite fruits. I knew they were one of the most nutritional fruits you can eat. Time for me to leave. What this Man Go :)

    Gary

    ReplyDelete
  12. They seem to be in all the smoothies at Jamba Juice...

    Liz A. from Laws of Gravity

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love mangoes. They grow huge here in Ghana. Fresh and inexpensive.
    Nana Prah

    ReplyDelete
  14. Have not eaten one of these.

    Love the jokes!

    M : )

    ReplyDelete
  15. That would be interesting to try a mango on a stick. They are tasty!

    betty

    ReplyDelete
  16. Your sites gets tastier every day. Love to peel a mango and slice it into my yogurt.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Thank you all for your insightful and supportive comments! Don't give up on the A-Z...your blogs are AMAZING and worth the effort! We are now half way!

    ReplyDelete

"Stay" is a charming word in a friend's vocabulary
(A.B. Alcott). Stay and visit awhile. Your comments mean a lot to me.

About Me

My photo
You could call me an eternal optimist, but I'm really just a dreamer. l believe in dream fulfillment, because 'sometimes' dreams come true. This is a blog about my journey as a writer and things that inspire and motivate me.