Friday, June 5, 2015

Mango Time in South Florida

Its time to celebrate when it is mango time in South Florida.  We eat them morning, noon and night.  We eat them over the sink, sliced up in oatmeal, yogurt and cottage cheese.   We chop them up for salads, salsas and baked with fish or chicken.  We bake mango bread, mango pies, mango cake and mango upside down cake.




This year there is a bumper crop of mangoes and homeowners are challenged as to what to do with such an over abundance.  Many people bring bags of mangoes to work every day.  Some people set up fruit stands in front of their house and sell them.  Other people bring them to food banks, churches and give them to neighbors who do not have trees.

Squirrels, tree rats, birds, insects love mangoes as well.  So do landscapers working nearby, mailmen, school children.  My seniors at work told me stories of how they would go to work during the day and return home at night to find their trees stripped of  fruit.  Below is a short video on how to pick fruit early from the tree.  Normally when they are ripe they fall down to the ground.



Many of us like to slice them up and freeze them for enjoyment after mango season.  The consistency is never the same as a fresh mango, but they are still great in smoothies.  Here is a short video on how to cut mangoes like a chef.


Fairchild Tropical Garden in Miami always has a spectacular mango festival in July, the height of mango season.  Mango season is from May to October.  Here are a few reviews of past festivals.  The festival is a three day event with non stop activities.  There are tastings, fruit sales, chef demonstrations,  displays, outside vendors, tree sales and so much more.  The Sunday mango brunch always sells out early to purchase your tickets in advance.  Mango Festival Information

Fairchild Tropical Garden Mango Festival a great success
Fairchild Tropical Garden Mango Brunch

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1 comment:

  1. I was born and raised in Miami, but moved to central Florida about 20 years ago . . . I've been missing my mango trees ever since. I'm trying to grow one here in Polk County but it never fails we'll get at least one frost (usually several though) to prevent decent fruit set.

    Your post sure does make me miss home and mangoes! There's nothing like picking a fresh, juicy mango (or stealing one - as I used to do as a very young girl from any mango tree in sight . . . and it seemed like they were in nearly every yard). :-)

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