VERY INTERESTING: MANGOES

 Hello ladies and gents this is the Viking telling you that today we are talking about

Juicy facts about mangoes

The mango: a fleshy, oval, tropical fruit with a yellowish-red skin and hard stone in the middle, which is eaten ripe or used green in pickles and chutneys. There are hundreds – maybe thousands – of varieties of the fruit that never appear on our supermarket shelves. Here are more facts about the marvellous mango.

  

1. Mangoes are as diverse as apples or plums

There are hundreds and hundreds of varieties of mango, regional and distinct. Some creamy and sweet, some citrusy, some a bit hot, some like pineapple and some – often found in our supermarkets – just a bit bland. It’s worth seeking out the sweeter varieties if you can: give the Alphonso a try.

2. It is the national fruit of not one but three countries

The mango is the national fruit of Pakistan, India and the Philippines. It is also the national tree of Bangladesh.

3. The name “mango” originated in India

The English name mango is likely derived from the Tamil word mankay or Keralan word mangga. When Portuguese traders settled in Southern India, they adopted the name as manga. It was as the British were trading with South India in the 15th and 16th Centuries that the word mango was born.

4. Over 43 million tonnes of mangoes are produced globally

Almost all of these are Tommy Atkins mangoes – a variety that grows quickly, has a great size and colour, is resistant to many types of fungus, doesn’t bruise easily, and will last a long time on a supermarket shelf. All these characteristics make it ripe for exporting around the world. Unfortunately, it is also stringy and relatively tasteless.

 

5. The UK's mangoes are sourced from all corners of the globe

UK supermarkets source mangoes from all around the world: Peru in the early part of the year, then west Africa, followed by Israel and Egypt in the third quarter and then Brazil

And as always have a chilled day from the Viking