Mango

The mango is one of my favourite fruits on the planet, and there are countless varieties, each one quite different from the other. My favourites are the ceylon and imperial mangoes, quite similar in that they have thin yellow skins when ripe and firm meat that you can scoop out with a spoon, however, though the shapes are close, the imperial is about two to three times larger than a ceylon. The imperial is the biggest mango I have ever come across. I like the flavour of a julie but they are a bit stringy, however, one that is not quite ripe picked from the tree, washed and then eaten in it’s entirety (except for the seed) can be quite delicious.

My parents have three mango trees in their yard, two ceylons and one julie (my Dad’s favourite). The julie is a dwarf tree so it’s really easy to pick the fruit - the ones that the birds and the monkeys don’t get that is. The other two trees are much taller, and though you can pick some of the mangoes from strategic locations or with a long picker, sometimes you just have to wait till they fall. Fortunately they are on the slopes of a grassed gully so they don’t get too bashed up. Right now, the trees are laden and it’s just a matter of time before we get to sample this year’s crop.

The fruits of the various mango trees can be quite different in both taste, appearance and size, but the leaves all look pretty similar - a long slender dark green leaf. When the new leaf comes out it is a dark red colour - it’s quite spectacular to see an entire tree covered in these dark red leaves and then, as they turn to green, the flower stalks come out - very nondescript pale green flowers that give the tree a feathery appearance.

Mango trees will grow from seed but they usually take longer to bear fruit than a grafted tree. The bark is quite rough and coarse, and there can be a lot of black ants on the trees, making them hazardous for climbing, but if you don’t mind a few annoying stings, the branches are quite strong once you stick close to the main trunk.

We all know the versatility of mangoes in the kitchen, but I like mine just as a fruit, preferably with the skin if it’s a good one, but some skins are quite touch and thick, and even have a sort of bitter taste. I can’t wait for the first fruits of this season!