MANGO MEMORIES

Complete recipes to extend the delight of this spirit-restoring fruit

- YEWANDE KOMOLAFE

I believe the first bite into a perfectly ripe mango has three parts: first, a humbling, then a flood of nostalgia and, finally, a restoration of spirit. This is the power of a great mango.

They knock us off our pedestals. No matter how nimble an eater you may be, there’s a mango out there waiting to defy your hands and lips. Forgo all politeness. A sticky mess awaits.

When I bite into one, I compare that initial sweetness to the tart and acidic flavours that build as I get closer to the seed. But I am also judging the mango in my hand against some elusive one I remember. I have a lot of room in my imagination for mangoes.

Great mangoes can elicit powerful memories. It takes a special fruit to ease the tension of a moment, connecting us both to a past season and to the promise of the next bounty. For me, the mango is that fruit. And the three recipes here (a salad, a dessert and a savoury relish) give you something creative to do with your remaining mangoes — after you've devoured the first few you've brought back from the market.