To compensate for the heat, an abundance of deliciously ripe fruits of all flavors, sizes and colors can currently be found in Mexico’s mercados and supermarkets.
While pitayas, mameys, cantaloupes, papayas and frambuesas (raspberries) are coming to the end of their seasons, plums, pineapples, carambolas (star fruit), guayabas, tunas and mangoes are all at their peak.
One of the most versatile fruits that should definitely not be condemned solely to a bowl is the mouth-watering and vitamin-rich (A, C and potassium) mango, which comes in a variety of forms in Mexico. At Guadalajara’s Abastos wholesale Market this week you could pick up all these kinds: mango Ataulfo (sweetest) 18 pesos/kilo, mango Hayden (largest) 12 pesos/kilo, mango Manila (from Veracruz) 16pesos/kilo and mango Barranqueños (small) 15 pesos/kilo.
Eating mangoes can be a messy business as we all know. It takes lots of practice to separate the fruit from the seed, and everyone seems to have their own method. A common way is to slice the fruit in half and cut crosshatch patterns into the flesh but not the skin. Then turn the skin inside out and scoop out the bite-size chunks with a spoon.
While succulent mangoes are just fine on their own they can also be made into great salads, sauces and desserts. Below is a recipe for one of the most popular north-of-the-border mango desserts.
Mango Cobbler
Ingredients (6 servings)
2-3 cups peeled, chopped ripe Hayden, Paraiso or Altaulfo mangoes
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 pinch salt
1/3-1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Method
- Cover mangoes with 3/4 cup sugar, set aside.
- Heat oven to 350°F; put butter in shallow baking dish or casserole dish, place in oven & melt butter.
- Mix remaining dry ingredients except brown sugar.
- Add milk, mix well.
- Pour batter into butter in dish.
DO NOT MIX!
- Pour mangoes into batter.
DO NOT MIX!
- Sprinkle with brown sugar.
- Put in oven & bake for approximately 35-50 minutes depending on how shallow/deep dish is.
- Let cool for 1/2 hour before serving.
- Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.