A Jamaican in the Kitchen: What’s Cooking with Mango!

By Chef Noel Cunningham/Images © Chef Noel Cunningham

“We nuh drink coffee, tea a mango time!”

There are not enough words to describe the love that we Jamaicans have for mango. So much so, that some people will sit and have only mangoes for dinner. Jamaicans cannot eat one mango at any given time – it must be three or more. There is even a folk song in Jamaican patois called ‘Mango Time’ that details the excitement surrounding the season. It goes like this…

“Mi nuh drink coffee, tea – mango time
Care how nice it may be – mango time
In the heat of the mango crop
When di fruit dem a ripe an’ drop
Wash yuh pot, tun dem dung – mango time.”

English translation…

“I don’t drink coffee, tea – mango time
Don’t care how nice it may be – mango time
In the heat of the mango crop
When the fruit they’re ripe and drop
Wash your pot, turn them down – mango time.”

As a child growing up, I looked forward to ‘mango time’. Going to ‘mango bush’ as we called it, was a must, after school. My mom would make Mango Jam or Mango Juice and going to gran’ ma’s home meant getting more mangoes, albeit with a reminder to “don’t eat them off” because she can’t climb and “is someone gave them to her!”

During the season you will find several mango varieties each with its own texture, taste, size and flavour. There is Blackie, Stringy, Tommy Atkins, Beef, Bombay, East Indian, Number 11, Sweetie Come Brush Me, Parry, Robin, and St Julian, widely known as Julie.

Everyone has they favourite and their favourite way to enjoy them. Some make mango ice cream, jellies, jams, cheese, pie and punch. The leaves are even sometimes used to treat hypertension, diarrhea, insomnia and fever.

This season join me in cooking with your favourite variety or should I say varieties. Here are some of my delicous ideas to start you off – take your pick!