Driving around Oahu and seeing the fruit-laden trees, I am hopeful that we are going to have a bumper mango crop this year. Our own little Ma'apulehu tree in the front yard has doubled his fruit count (from one to two -- he's only a few years old) and all my friends with mango trees say they are seeing massive harvests coming down (hopefully not on the roof). Hawaii has hundreds of varieties of mangoes. My friends from India, the mango capital of the world, have told me that the only mangoes they have tasted that compare with those of the subcontinent are the fresh-picked varieties from Hawaii. We've got Piries (buttery and spicy), Hadens (smooth and juicy), Gouveias (just plain luscious), Ma'apulehu (a cross between a Pirie and a Haden) and numerous other varieties. Local foodwriter Joan Namkoong penned this informative paean to the magic fruit for Spirit of Aloha, the in-flight mag for Aloha Airlines.

"I’d have to say unequivocally, in my experience, that mangoes are best in Hawai‘i. This king of fruit basks well in the tropical sun, yielding sweet juicy flavors beyond comparison to mangoes grown in India, where they originated. Trust me, I’ve been there and tasted its mangoes, including the prized alphonso. I’ve also eaten mangoes in many South­east Asian countries. And, of course, there are the mangoes imported from South America, to our supermarkets, picked green to withstand the long journey to the U.S., therefore never developing the luscious mango flavor of a tree-ripened fruit. Nothing beats a mango grown in Hawai‘i."

If you happen to be in a health food store you might be able to score some Yee Farms mangoes, a boutique Waianae grower that puts out the most outstanding commercial mangoes (Sunglow Variety) in the state. At a price -- they usually run $5 a pound -- which makes locals shake there heads but they keep buying (most locals remember growing up with mango tree). One caveat. DO NOT STEAL MANGOES FROM PEOPLE'S TREES. You know how lobstermen feel about their traps in Maine? Same way here in Hawaii. Cockaroaching mangoes is a capital offense. You can buy / find locally grown mangoes on all major islands as well as on Molokai and Lanai. If you see them on offer at road side honor stands, definitely buy one, cut it up, and slurp it down as a dessert to top all others.

Related Posts: Mango Madness, Tropical Drink of the Week

—Alex, 05/15/07