Illustration #3 - Mango Season

It's mango season! That means that everyone who has ever eaten a mango before is now surrounded by crates and crates full of mangoes and is eating mangoes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and a midnight snack.

When I was in Chennai, I asked several elderly women which type of mango I should buy, and the broad consensus was that Alphonso mangoes are by far the best kind. They are sweet and juicy and amazing, but have a very short shelf life and growing season. Maybe they are an edible metaphor for life.

Over the years, I've noticed that there is some controversy over how to peel a mango. Some people cut it lengthwise on either side of the big seed (stone?), slice those sides further into long slices and then eat the slices down to the skin like a watermelon slice. Others cut lengthwise down one side of the seed, then put that section skin-side down and dice the flesh by cutting a grid into the flesh while it is still on the skin and gingerly removing the flesh from the skin to make millions of cubes of mango. It is probably also possible to just peel the skin away by making a quick cut with a knife and pulling the skin down like an orange, but I don't think I've ever seen anyone do it that way. Nowadays I use a sharp potato peeler, which works perfectly. Only barbarians peel Alphonso mangoes with a knife, throwing away half the precious flesh with the discarded peel.

Finally, don't ever make the mistake of peeling and cutting an Alphonso mango and then casually throwing away the big seed in front of someone who knows what an Alphonso mango is. You will forever be considered sub-human by them from that moment on. Instead, even if you've artfully removed every piece of flesh from that stone with your knife, pop that thing in your mouth and suck everything else off it before you throw it in the garbage or compost. Especially if someone is looking at you.

The picture above is three mangoes and a green apple.