"Mangoes Mesmerize Many Mouths" by Kamella Carmino Garraway

As a child I did not like avocadoes, and anytime I refused to eat it my father and brother would tease me with the refrain “you don’t know what you’re missing”, taken from an old gospel song, You don’t know what you’re missing until you’ve met the Lord. Actually I still don’t care for avocadoes, but what I do care for is mangoes and I would like to tell you, ‘you don’t know what you’re missing’ if, one, you don’t like mangoes, two, you are allergic to mangoes, or three, you have seen or eaten only one variation of mangoes. While I cannot speak regarding your taste buds nor your allergies, I would like to broaden your mango knowledge just a bit. My context comes from the fact that I am an island girl, born and bred in the tropical Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago.

You may be amazed to know that there are some 35 variations of mangoes around the world, each of them having different tastes, textures, and sizes. In Trinidad and Tobago the most popular include long, julie, doux doux, and starch.

Long mango, also known as stringy mango in Jamaica, gets its name from the fact that it is both narrow and very stringy, leaving the tell tale signs between the teeth of having eaten it. While some may not like this type of mango for this very reason, others may say “you don’t know what you’re missing.” My husband, for instance, who walks around with floss won’t be caught dead eating a long mango. Nevertheless, this mango is excellent for chutney or a chow (recipe following).

Julie is the Beverly Hills type of mango, it is not only rich but it is also grafted (procedure of implanting). Julie does not have the threads that are found in the long stringy variation but is favored by many all the same. While you could just bite into this type of mango, it also slices well and is popular in culinary arts. This mango is very fleshy and is great for making ice-cream, cake, bread and juice. This skin is also an excellent and tasty source of roughage for those who dare.

Doux doux is a very small and sweet variation. Its size is generally a little larger than a golf ball but significantly smaller than a tennis ball. Because of its size (not to mention its taste) it is unrealistic to just eat one, so a normal sitting for doux doux would probably include five plus mangoes. Needless to say you do not slice doux doux mangoes, and putting the entire thing in your mouth is acceptable.

Last but not least is starch mango. This variation could easily be left behind based on appearances. It does not really have that ‘stand out’ in a crowd look. Actually if you are looking for a flawless, unblemished mango you would not give starch a second look. However, this spotted variation, to many, is the best mango. It has a distinct taste, it is sweet but not cloying, it is juicy but not to messy, it has strings but is not too stringy, it is larger that a doux doux but no so large that you can’t sit and eat three or more one after the other. Actually, seldom if ever someone would eat only one by choice, but an offer of only one, would not be refused.

So all you mango lovers, for your next vacation, plan a trip to the Caribbean, a plethora of mangoes of sizes, textures and tastes await.

Recipe: Chow

1 full (not ripe) mango

½ tsp salt

½ tsp hot sauce (to taste)

1 clove garlic (grounded or chopped)

½ tsp lime/lemon juice (optional)

Cut up mangoes in small slices/pieces add other ingredients and mix together. Could be allowed to marinate for 10-15 minutes in refrigerator or eaten right away.

Kamella Carmino Garraway can be reached at kkc5@pitt.edu

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