Rich, juicy mangoes taste like summertime

My first taste of mango must have been many years ago while traveling in Mexico.  It was served peeled on a stick with sides slashed in the fruit for easy eating. A pinch or two of red chile powder was sometimes added.   I have loved mangoes every since.

Summertime in the Desert Southwest is mango season. Mangoes are piled high in the produce section of markets and are available in different colors - green, red, yellow and orange, but the flesh is usually golden yellow.  If  you want ripe mangoes, squeeze them gently to see if they yield slightly. If the mangoes need to ripen, leave them on the kitchen counter for several days and then refrigerate in a plastic bag. 

My favorite way to enjoy mangoes must be done in the privacy of my own home.  I peel a slightly chilled mango standing over the sink.  Then I bite and slurp the fruit and finally gnaw on the bone, ignoring the sweet, sticky juice running down my arms to the elbows. Taking a shower after eating a mango like this would not be out of the question. 

If you would like to learn about polite ways of eating mangoes, this YouTube video gives good hints on slicing and dicing them for easy consumption.  How to Cut a Mango . 

And you may need advice on chopping mangoes for the following recipe.

One of my favorite recipes using this popular fruit is Mango Salsa.  I found the recipe many years ago in the 1997 Joy Of Cooking cookbook.  Combine in a large bowl one small red onion, chopped, rinsed and drained and 1/4 cup fresh lime juice. (Rinsing the onion tones down the flavor.  And be sure to use fresh limes!) Set this mixture aside while preparing the following ingredients:  1 large mango, peeled and coarsely chopped, 1 small red bell pepper, cut into strips, 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro (very important ingredient for authenticity), 1 clove garlic, minced, 1/4 cup fresh orange juice (don't cheat here!) and 1 fresh jalapeño, finely chopped.  Combine all ingredients and add salt and pepper to taste.  Mango Salsa always receives rave reviews from guests.

  

Another mango recipe I have tried recently (Joy of Cooking, 2006) is for Mango Ice Cream.  Ever since our son gifted us a Kitchen Aid stand mixer for which I ordered a frozen dessert attachment, I have been going wild experimenting with different flavors of ice cream.

Mango Ice Cream is the best I have made so far. Peel, pit and puree 2 pounds of very ripe mangoes. Put them in a bowl with 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 cup sugar, and a pinch of salt. Chill in fridge.  In another bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups whipping cream, 1/2 cup whole milk, and 1/3 cup sugar.  Allow this mixture to chill in fridge also. 

When ready to make ice cream, I use the Kitchen Aid special bowl which has been in the freezer, add the milk mixture, run the mixer on stir for about 15 minutes and then add the fruit mixture for the last five minutes.  Try to refrain from eating the mango ice cream as soft-serve at this stage!
It is even tastier after being placed in a bowl in the freezer for four to six hours.

Mangoes and summertime just seem to go together in the Desert Southwest. And did I mention that mangoes are the most widely consumed fruit in the world?  Enjoy!

A loaf of Irish Soda Bread ushers in springtime!

It's mid-March in the Southwest.  Mother Nature has tantalized us with a few days of highs in the 70's. Enthusiastic gardeners are showing up at home improvement stores around town.  We can hardly wait to pack up our coats, break out our garden tools and make our dream landscapes come true. However, a few days with highs in the 50's and 30 mph plus winds have driven me back inside. Now I'm thinking of puttering around the kitchen and cooking something delicious for St. Patrick's Day on March 17th.

St. Patrick's Day celebrations come just at the right time.  Tired of winter activities and longing for sunshine, we welcome any opportunity for fun as we wait for a true springtime.  Green beer doesn't appeal to me much these days, but Irish Soda Bread does.  More specifically, I'm planning to bake Irish-American Soda Bread.

I don't know how long ago I first discovered the recipe in my 1997 edition of Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer et al. This classic cookbook is a real treat, especially for people like me who would just as soon read about cooking as get busy in the kitchen and do it.

Another reason I feel enthusiastic about baking is the new Kitchen Aid stand mixer our son gave us for Christmas.  Why didn't someone tell me earlier in my life how much better and easier a stand mixer can perform than my old hand mixer?  It makes baking a breeze!








Here is Joy of Cooking's description of Irish American Soda Bread (pp. 772-773).  "The American idea of Irish soda bread looks like a giant golden brown scone studded with raisins and caraway seeds." Yum. Mix together one and two-thirds cups all-purpose flour, five tablespoons sugar, one teaspoon baking powder, one teaspoon baking soda, and one-half teaspoon salt.  Stir in one cup raisins and two teaspoons caraway seeds. In another bowl, whisk together one large egg, one cup buttermilk, and a half-stick warm melted unsalted butter.  Stir all ingredients just until moistened. Bake in a greased, six cup loaf pan at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes.

I've given you the "leaded" version.  If you are trying to eat healthy or have certain dietary restrictions, you may lower the amount of sugar (or use Splenda) and substitute half of the butter for applesauce.  I have made these substitutions at various times.  They may produce a loaf that doesn't stay quite as moist as the original, but since it is generally gobbled up immediately in our household, this has never been an issue.

If we run out of the loaf too quickly, though, I may try a new recipe that appeared several days ago in the El Paso Times for Irish Soda Bread Muffins by Ruth Taber.  The ingredients look very similar, and muffins rather than a loaf might be a nice twist.

Come on springtime!

Sláinte! (Cheers!, Salud!, Saúde!, Santé!)