Mangos

Mangos are a sweet tropical delight, available year-round and they are a versatile fruit for your favorite salads, sauces or marinades.

So, what is a Mango? Believe it or not, the mango is the most widely consumed fresh fruit in the world and is a distant relative of cashews, pistachios, and poison ivy. The Mango is native to India and has been cultivated for more than 4,000 years!

Today there are more than 1000 varieties in India alone, and the fruit is a dietary staple in more then half of the world's country.

A few good mangos are the Golden Globe, Keitt, Tommy Atkins, and Thai green. The flavor is a cross between a peach and an apricot, but with pineapple undertones. This exotic sweetness works just as well in savory dishes as it does in desserts; and is a perfect substitution for peaches.

Mangos have an enzyme that tenderizes meat, and the fruit provides a cool contract to spicy curries and other strong flavors. Fruit is at its best from May through September.

How to Buy: Smell it near its stem. There should be a hint of pine and peaches; no fragrance usually means the mango will have no flavor. Ripen in a paper bag at room temperature. Most local supermarkets only carry the Tommy Atkins variety, which has a vibrant bright green, yellow, and red skin.

Add Mangos to a Mixed Greens Salad