Alethia Foster
IDS 336-31: Food and Culture
February 22, 2018
Dr. Anne Marie Perez
Food Presentation: Mangoes
Good afternoon class, my presentation is about a fruit that I love and enjoy and that fruit is Mango. If you so choose you may eat your mangoes during this presentation it is provided along with Tajin. My family and I eat our mangoes by itself. Mango season in Jamaica is usually between May through July. There are over 20 variety of mangoes in Jamaica depending on the Parish they may have different names. There are 2 mangoes that have significant meaning to me and they are Julie and East Indian mangoes. I grew up in the Parish of Saint Andrews and other parishes throughout Jamaica. The area of Saint Andrews, although we have many tropical fruits these 2 mangoes has left a lasting memory for me and the memories of growing up in Jamaica. Julie mangoes at the time I was there was one of the most expensive mango along with East Indian mango but, Julie mangoes sold much faster. Mangoes symbolize to me the many places where I have lived throughout Jamaica when my parents traveled my mother more so, than my father. We were not rich by any means just lived a modest comfortable lifestyle. My mother traveled to Panama, Curacao, Cayman Islands, and other places for work and leisure travel. I lived around different economic class while I lived in Jamaica. I ate delicious meals cooked in an outdoor kitchen in the rural areas of St. Andrews to eating dinner with the Chilean Ambassador and his family to whom my grandmother for many years was the live in housemaid in Beverly Hills, Jamaica.
Photo via Flickr by Clive Grant used under Creative Commons Licence.
When I was around 8 years old and my Grandmother would sell mangoes at Coronation market on Saturdays earning a living, I would be running around trying my best not to eat on the produce of course, she would put some aside for me that was not for sale. I remember on one occasion my grandmother thought it would be a teachable moment to give me about 2 dozen mangoes of my own to sell and save the money. Well, I managed to sell all the mangoes without eating any of my mine I certainly had some from my Grandma’s. During summer breaks I was a tomboy climbing trees in the rural areas. My friends and I knew which trees had the ripe mangoes and the neighbors that didn’t get upset by us getting mangoes. Some of the neighbors family owned the land and would only come by when the mangoes were ripe to be sold or eaten. Mangoes are a pretty big deal I love Julie and East Indian mangoes but ate others as well. Some of our family friends were very particular on which mangoes they ate because of the texture.
Photo via Flickr by Les Bigby used under Creative Commons Licence.
Although these type of mangoes are not available in Southern California in order to not deprive ourselves of wanting the same taste. My family and I over the years have gotten mangoes from family and friends in Florida. However, while checking to get a few mangoes sent over from Florida I found out that tree was swept away by an hurricane. Although I am not able to eat and taste the same mangoes I ate when I was in Jamaica, I adapted to my environment and became accustomed to the mangoes here in California most of the mangoes I eat here is from Mexico or Peru. I never really paid as much attention to where the produce is from until I decided what food or fruit, I would be doing for my presentation on I had to gather all I need for this food presentation.
The fruits from Jamaica is hard to find here in California, in order to not be deprived. I eat mango different ways such as in smoothies, dried mangoes, fresh fruits from street vendors among many others. Now I do my best to eat mangoes without too much added sugar because mangoes is a naturally sweet fruit. Thank you for your time.
References:
Photo via Flickr by Clive Grant used under Creative Commons Licence.
Photo via Flickr by Les Bigby used under Creative Commons Licence.