Mango-ectomy

I realize that placing mangoes inside these plastic Spider-Man roller skates is slightly fetishistic. But they've been sitting on my shelf since x-mas 2002 and they were just drawn to each other like chocolate and peanut butter in those old Reese's "meet-cute" ads.

A lot of people confess to me that they don't know how to take apart a mango. Worse, many still cling to the appalling method of scoring the flesh into cubes. It's like turning a pair of wool pants into cut-off shorts. So let's go through it step by step. C'mon, it'll be fun. We'll do it together.

Let's start at Tri Pacific on Spadina just north of Dundas. This is where I get my mangoes. I go through a dozen cases a year and get maybe one bad mang. Mangoes range from 12 to 17 dollars a case. The TV inside is tuned to the all gambling station all the time.

I don't mess around with those fat, reddish, Tommy Atkins mangoes. If I wanted a disappointing compromise that leaves a sour taste in my mouth I'd move to Queen West. These are Ataulfo mangoes from Mexico.

So here is the my buddy the mango before we dissect him.


The first cut is the tail. Take just enough off the bottom to level it off so it can stand ...

... slice directly down and after about half an inch begin to curve around the edge of the pit, which is oval shaped and runs most of the length of the fruit.

And again on the other side. What we're taking off is almost like a side or fillet, if the pit is the ribcage of the fruit. A little flesh will remain on the pit but 90% will be on these sides.


Slice each side in three or four strips.


Just so you can see where to start I've made an incision to clarify the distinction between skin and flesh. Insert the blade here ...


... and run it, flat and parallel to board and skin, along the length of the fruit ...


Let it glide under the flesh as close to the skin as possible.


Stripping away the skin around the circumference of the centre ...


... you're left with a good deal of flesh around the pit. This can be cut off in little strips but I prefer to snack on it or offer it to whoever else is in the room.


And what you're left with is long, juicy, firm, ...


...ripe, sweet, aromatic, ...


... fleshy, unfibrous, crowd-pleasing mango. These things are around until late September. Enjoy them while they last.

Mintz Out.