Mango tango

Yield: 1 servings

Measure Ingredient
\N \N MANGO TANGO
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Mountains of green, yellow and red-tinged footballs tumble from boxes in every corner store. Sweet as summer, dripping with juice, the best place to enjoy them is in the bathtub. They're so cheap right now, buy a bunch. Mango master Sal Borg of Sanci Tropical Foods in Kensington Market say he might have 12 varieties on hand any given day from now to September. Most hail from Mexico and Jamaica. Some mangos are fibrous inside, others smooth as silk. Haden, Tommy Atkins, Keitt and Kent are the most common in these parts. India's Alphonse mango is queen of the spring crop, while the most revered mid-summer mango is the Imperial. "If you can find an Imperial," says Borg, "you'll be in mango heaven." Each variety has its own tropical taste, so experiment. You'll find the name on the box, or ask your produce manager. To pick a mango, look for taut skin and a sweet smell. Leave on the counter until slightly soft when pressed, then refrigerate until use. Puree ripe mangoes into milkshakes, slice over ice cream or cube and gently fold (at the last minute) into fruit or chicken salad. Or chop for salsa. Thai cooks garte hard, unripe mangoes into tart salads, and serve ripe mango slices with sticky rice and coconut milk for breakfast. But the best way to eat mango is to stand over the sink and eat the whole thing. As golden juice runs down your arm, close your eyes and think summer sunshine all year round.

HOW TO PEEL A MANGO: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1. Place unpeeled mango upright with narrow end toward you. With a sharp knife, slice gently down one "cheek" following the line of the pit. DON'T SLICE INTO THE PIT! Repeat with second cheek. Cut remaining flesh in strips and peel.

2. Score each cheek deeply in a cross-hatch pattern, cutting down to but not through the skin. Cut large squares for fruit salad; small squares for salsa.

3. Push cheeks skin-side up and inside out so the fruit pops up like a porcupine. With knife, cut cubes from peel and use in recipes. Or serve cut mango halves for breakfast or dessert. Recipes to folow in subsequent messages.

From An Article: Mango Tango by Cynthia David in The Toronto Sun of 19 July, 1995. Transcribed By: S. Lefkowitz Submitted By SAM LEFKOWITZ On 08-01-95

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