Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Julie Mango Season and Losing Weight

In the early half of the year, it is most active in Trinidad and Tobago, there are christmas corruption accusations, water protests, carnival, loan interest reduction hearsay, training classes and the coming of mangoes.

Before mango season officially arrives, it is proclaimed by the unsightly presence of houseflies. Houseflies are drawn to the sweet, fruity aroma of ripe mangoes. So whenever I buy mangoes, I wash the skins, dry them and place them in the fruit bowl. When this does not work, I cover them with a dry kitchen towel. When that does not work, I put them in the refrigerator, until I am ready to consume it.

There are many variety of mangoes: Starch, Vere, Long, Calabash, Rose and my favourite, Julie. Julie mango is the Queen of the pack. Oval, full, and gushing with all that sweet yellow juice, running down your hands as your teeth cut into the firm supple flesh, your eyes roll to the heavens, and close in satisfaction, your lips suck up the nutrient goodness that nature made specially for you.

Imagine, sitting on the stairs of one of those mud shacks from the early 1930's. Your mother doing housework and you and your friends sitting on the wooden stairs. The home is surrounded be luxuriant fruit trees of every kind: Coconut, Sapodilla, Mamey Apple, and mango trees. A few yards away there is a river, where you hunt crab and in the dry season, Cascadoo*. Chickens roam freely in the yard, and come lunchtime, your mother makes a request, and you have to catch the chicken and prepare it for her. Every morning before you go to school, you have to milk the goats or cow, and collect the eggs....Simple and enviable.

Yesterday, I went walking around the Savannah. It was very encouraging, since I stay home most days, avoiding the hot sun. This week, all is about to change, in the next 5 mins it is off computer, and on the road. Have a good day!

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