tastes like home: Bye-bye Mangoes

When will I see you again? When we will we share precious moments? Three Degrees' When Will I See You Again, kept playing in my head all the while as I wrote this week's column - Bye-bye Mangoes.

Dear Mangoes,

Your season is almost over. Sure, we have a couple of weeks remaining but I am missing you already. Each year you surprise me with your flavour and variety. Each year I marvel at your perfection, Each year, I fall in love with you deeper and deeper. I know that you must leave to regain your strength so that when we meet again, we can fall in love all over again, deeply and madly. Oh how I'll miss you so. Continue reading the column.

How do you like to enjoy mangoes? This is a question I asked a couple of years ago. Here's what many had to say.

Mangoes are delicious on their own when fully ripe but try having them with a little salt and you will be amazed by the heightened flavour and sweetness. My friend Tuty told me about adding some Kecap Manis to the salt and pepper when eating half ripe mangoes. Man, that was another flavour combo discovery - you get sweet, salt and heat in one bite. Glorious!

Among the many things I made was this mango chutney recipe from Shobana. The sweet and savoury combination was one I had never enjoyed this way with mangoes before. I made a large batch and in less than a week, it was all gone. My sister and I could not stop eating it at every turn.

I've also been enjoy some flavour combinations as I made drink with my mangoes such as mango & guava, mango & passion fruit, mango & orange and mango & pineapple. What I can I say? I have been having a thoroughly pleasureable mango season.