Mango Mania!

 

 

 

I don't know if I ever ate a mango in the States- perhaps the occasional Mango Strawberry Smoothie at some smoothie shop, but never a whole fresh, juicy mango in all of its glory. When we first moved to Cameroon 2 years ago, we arrived in the middle of mango season. Wow, I had been missing out! We feasted everyday on them. Little baby Charlie LOVED them to the point where they caused an unfortunate increase in diaper changes! We would tell our house help not to give her anymore, and of course she would cave and give Charlie a big bowl after the slightest whimper of “maaango pwees.” Notice the mango bits all over her face and bib! Who could deny such a cute babe?! 

 

 

 

 Last year, we evacuated Africa and missed most of the mango season, but this year the mango party is on again! They are everywhere. Almost everyone has a tree near them. There is a road near all of the municipal buildings in town that is lined with mango trees. The air is permeated with the smell of fallen fruit that has fermented. We also have a mango tree in our yard, but sadly ours has only produced like 5 whereas most trees produce hundreds. Luckily for us, we can buy 3 mangos for 20 cents at the market! We have eaten so many, I am surprised we are not orange. Almost everyday we eat mango slices. But I have also embarked on some mango recipes- green mango pie (unripe ones taste like apples when cooked), mango cobbler, a botched attempt at mango sticky rice, and the latest recipe- mango Italian ice. Oh yum. Two years after being introduced to mangos, Charlie still is obsessed! Here favorite treat is to get every last bite off of the mango pits!