Make It with Mangos
Summertime in South Florida means mangos! Here are some of the best ways to put those backyard mangos to work.
Locavore Alert: Lychee, Mango, Jackfruit Season Is Here
As stone crab season wraps up, tropical fruit season begins in South Florida
Just as stone crab season ends in mid-May, the short, sweet season for the beloved lychee begins. Taste of Redland’s Mike Huter thinks that’s reason to celebrate the kickoff of South Florida’s tropical fruit season.
From year to year, the lychee harvest is similar to that of stone crabs – sometimes it’s a good season, sometimes not, prices fluctuate, Huter says. The difference is a very short season, from about mid-May through July. “There’s nothing quite like a fresh lychee for firmness, sweetness, texture and floral aroma,” he says. “South Florida is one of the few places where you can get this unique fruit.” The three main varieties for lychee (Litchi chinensis) are Mauritius– firm, sweet, with a larger seed; Brewster, similar to Mauritius, but brighter red; and Sweet Heart, larger, heart-shaped, with smaller seeds.
To celebrate the occasion, Taste of Redland is offering consumers and restaurants special boxes of freshly harvested lychees with next-day delivery. Click here for details.
Chefs and Mixologists, Lychee Locavore Month is for You, Too
As part of the Summer Lychee Locavore program, Taste of Redland is also sponsoring a cocktail contest put together by Steve Haas, the architect of Miami Spice. Pros are invited to craft their tastiest culinary creation or beverage using local lychee and participate in a contest to win a trip to Stowe, Vermont, the ultimate Locavore culinary and libation destination. "This is a great opportunity to become part of a true local farm-to-table movement, and to support your local farms with Fresh-from-Florida Redland-Raised ingredients," says Huter.
All establishments participating in the June #LycheeLocavore Month program can have one chef and one mixologist at the Lychee Locavore Bash on July 21 to present their best lychee creation to South Florida tastemakers, who will vote for their favorite recipes. One chef and one mixologist will be chosen by invited guests for the best recipe in each category. The two winners will be treated to lodging and airfare for five days and four nights at a luxurious mountain home in Stowe, Vermont. They and their guests will have a unique opportunity to learn about the history of the locavore movement and experience locally sourced cuisine and cocktails. For details on the contest and to order fresh-picked lychee, click here.
A portion of proceeds will benefit No Kid Hungry® and Baptist Health’s Grow2Heal program and the Locavore initiative to support South Dade agriculture.
Bring On the Mangos
South Florida's summer fruit season means mangos, too. Tropical fruit expert Richard Campbell and his sons – Mango Men Homestead – are once again offering boxes of special mango cultivars grown in their Redland orchard. "Our trees are small and it has been a challenging year," says Campbell. "Cultivars are going to come and go quickly and the early fruit have gone through considerable weather events (rain, drizzle)."
Fruit for sale includes Rosigold, Manilita, Cambodiana, Joellen, Pau Hutan (wild mango), Vallenato and Nam Doc Mai, to be eaten mature green. Mango Men Homestead sells custom boxes at their orchard for $35 during the weekend. They also ship custom boxes as needed. Visit their site here for details because every week offers different seasonal selections.
Early-Season Mangos
Among the cultivars you might find in the beginning of the South Florida mango season:
‘Cambodiana,’ collected in 1902 by plant collector Dr. David Fairchild,when his ship made port in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The fruit are small, canary yellow at maturity, with a crisp lemony sweetness and tones of ginger and jasmine.
‘Jo Ellen,’ which first fruited in 1950 in West Palm Beach, the result of the hand pollination of a ‘Haden’ and a ‘Cambodiana.’ The fruit are pastel pink and red overlaying a canary yellow, with ample white highlights across the skin. The fiberless flesh has a tangy Asian base and deep richness. ‘Jo Ellen’ was a favorite of CW Campbell, father and grandfather to two generations of mango men. They come early and pass quickly and are well worth the effort to find them.
Photo 1: Cambodiana mangos
Photo 2: Jo Ellen mangoes
‘Manilita’ was collected by the MangoMen from the Pacific coast of Mexico, where it has been grown for over a century. The fruit are small and light up with pastel oranges and reds on the tree when ready for harvest. The flesh is silky smooth and the flavor is mild and sweet.
'Rosigold' is a Florida original, selected in the 1960s for its beauty, disease tolerance and flavor by the US Department of Agriculture in Miami. The fruit are of Southeast Asian heritage, with a bright yellow color and orange to crimson highlights on the sun-exposed shoulders. The skin is smooth and delicate and the orange flesh soft and melting and free of fiber. The sweetness will vary year to year.
‘Vallenato,’ from the north coast of Colombia, was brought to the Mango Men orchard by Carl Campbell, the first buds a gift from the growers of Valledupar. A traditional cultivar in this land for over a century, the fruit are oval and reach a mature weight of half a pound. The skin is uncommonly smooth and waxy, a continuum of vermilion to currant red. The flesh is firm and juicy with a spicy, aromatic and slightly acid flavor of citrus and apricot.
Photo 1: Manilita mango
Photo 2: Vallenato mango
Where to Buy Local Lychee, Mango and Tropical Fruit
The easiest place to find local fruits is at South Florida farmers markets and fruit stands in the Redland and Homestead. Not all mangos or avocado are local; ask your vendor where they came from.
These farmers markets include local farmers: SATURDAYS: Southwest Community Farm and Market at Tropical Park; Legion Park on Biscayne Blvd.; Dania Beach PATCH; SUNDAYS: Palmetto Bay Farmers Market; Pinecrest Gardens Farmers Market; MONDAYS: Arsht Center Farmers Market, downtown Miami.
These fruit stands sell local fruits: Redland Community Farm and Market, Homestead (open 7 days); Robert Is Here, Florida City (open 7 days); Taste of Redland Tropical Fruit Stand on Lincoln Rd. at Meridian (open weekends 10-4); Criswell Farm and Market, Fort Lauderdale (Thurs-Sun 9-4). Market Sundays at the Redland Banyan, Sundays through July, 25450 SW 202 Ave; Mango Men Homestead, weekends through mid-July.
You can also spot roadside fruit stands throughout South Florida, especially on weekends.
South Florida Fruit Celebrations
Lychees, mango, avocado, longan, dragon fruit and many more are worthy of celebration at these upcoming events:
Tropical Fruit Fiesta
June 15, Truman Little White House, Key West
grimalgrove.com
Fruit tastings, fruit and tree sales, informational talks and kids’ activities.
Redland Summer Fruit Festival Brought to You by Taste of Redland
June 22-23, Redland Fruit and Spice Park
redlandfruitandspice.com
Two days of hundreds of mangos, avocados and rare and exotic tropical fruits from our own backyard, plus food, music, workshops and more. New this year: Look for an evening culinary event showcasing tropical fruit.
Key West Mango Festival
June 29, Bayview Park, Key West
mangofestkeywest.com
Mango tastings, trees, daiquiris in fundraiser from the Key West Police Athletic League.
Lychee Summer Celebration at Schnebly Redland’s Winery
June 29, Schnebly Redland’s Wintery
schneblywinery.com
Spend the day on the Schnebly Farm! Try lychee wine, special-release beers from Miami Brewing Company, and culinary takes on lychee from restaurant and food truck partners. Live music from Mr. Nice Guy.
Bingo, Bango That's My Mango Festival
June 30, The Lincoln Eatery, Miami Beach
Register here
Inaugural event at food hall from chef Allen Susser where each of the Lincoln Eatery’s 13 food purveyors will dishes showcasing different varieties of local mango. Family-friendly activities and contests.
The Mango and Tropical Fruit Festival
July 13-14, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
fairchildgarden.com
Celebrate the mangos of the Dominican Republic and other tropical fruits at this weekend event that includes fruit and tree sales, workshops, a mango brunch and auction and cooking demos.
This event has been cancelled:
South Beach Mango Festival
July 26-28, Lummus Park
sobemangofest.com
Friday night: Mango dinner with chef Allen Susser at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden. During the weekend on the beach: mangos, live music, local vendors, cooking classes, chef demos.
Make It with Mangos
Summertime in South Florida means mangos! Here are some of the best ways to put those backyard mangos to work.
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