The Mangos Are Here, The Mangos Are Here

Actually, they've been here for about 2 weeks now.  We've been watching a huge mango tree on the carretera outside of Dolega, as first it flowered, then set fruit--and is now dropping ripe mangos.  We have two mango trees that are growing like crazy (like any good Italian mother, I feed them generously) but they are young yet and it will be years before they produce.  Demorra, as they say here.

We buy almost all of our fruits and vegetables in David, at Productos Yaneth near the stadium.  They're not the cheapest but they have the most consistent high-quality fruits and veggies that we've found.  We discovered to our satisfaction, that our friends the Espinosas shop there, too, and for the same reasons.  Sort of puts the stamp of approval on our decision.

We've been shopping at that stand for nearly the entire time we've lived here.  They used to have a much smaller, shabbier place about a block away, but moved within the past year.  It's owned and run by two sisters, I think.  They're quite friendly, and if only one of us shows up,we're sure to get inquiries about where the other is.

Almost every morning for breakfast, we have a big bowl of mixed fresh fruit and usually a piece of toasted pita bread.  The fruit is whatever is available: bananas of course, pineapples, melons, sandia (watermelon), papayas--and right now, mangos.  They are so sweet!  They make almost every other fruit except pineapple seem bland in comparison.

Last week, we loaded up on mangos, buying about a half dozen huge, ripe red ones.  I almost always make small talk with the women who run the place as well as their employees.  Last week, it was (I assume) Yaneth.  I happened to remark that we eat mangos for breakfast.  That comment set off a flood of excited Spanish in which she told me how much she loved them, that she eats them for breakfast herself and tries to restrain herself but just keeps eating and eating them!  Ah, a "fellow" addict!  I envy her her easy source.

I'm not sure how long the season lasts, but we will be gorging on these wonderful fruit for as long as we can.

Waiting for the mamon chino harvest in June.