Go For Mangoes

What is the first thing that pops into your mind when you hear the word “Mango”? If someone would ask me, I would have three answers. To begin with, I would think of it as our National Fruit. Then, I would think of it as my Favorite Fruit. Finally, I would think of it as everyone’s favorite, for I know that as a Filipino, one must be proud of our own.

Mango (plural mangos or mangoes) is a tropical fruit of the mango tree. Mangoes belong to the genus Mangifera which consists of about 30 species of tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. These are according to The Hip 'n Free Philippine Encyclopedia (http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Mango).

Philippines, a country gifted with fertile soil, grow mangoes all around. But it does not just grow, it boosts, as mango is its own National Fruit. There are plenty of reasons why mango is considered as such:

First, varieties of mango are present here in the Philippines because as a tropical fruit it is found and grown anywhere around a tropical country. Philippines is even considered as one of the top 12 mango producers as of 2005, along with India, China, Thailand, Indonesia, Mexico, Pakistan, Nigeria, Guinea, Brazil, Vietnam and Bangladesh. Second, mango here in the Philippines is considered for its best quality. It is known for its sweetness and there are a lot of ways to enjoy it. For example, one can have it as a snack or in a form of dessert.

Third, mango can be served in different ways. These are namely, in a plain way, as processed, and it can also be dried or frozen. Mango served in a plain way is the same as eating it during meals, when a family is enjoying a sliced mango served on the table. Processed mangoes are placed in a container where one can make a drink out of it or anything. Mangoes can also be dried or frozen, dried mangoes are popular here in the Philippines and frozen mangoes are one of the most-loved desserts. The most known source of dried mango here in the country is Cebu City. Fourth, mango is one of the major products in the Philippines making it to export market around the world. In the country, Western Visayas, Central Luzon and Ilocos Region are the top leading producers of mangoes.

Fifth, mango is an all-around fruit, as one can enjoy it whether ripe or unripe. In the Philippines, unripe mangoes are popular with “bagoong “ or salt when eaten, while most of the ripe mangoes may served as an ingredient in ice creams, desserts, fruit salads, dishes, or in different drinks such as, juices and shakes. Sixth, mangoes can be eaten and prepared anytime and anywhere. It is also affordable. For instance, students can eat unripe mango along the street and it will not cost them so much of their money. At the same time, during holidays or in every occasion, mango is available. When someone passes by in the marketplace or even in the street, no one can deny the fact that he/she is not tempted to taste the sweet-looking fruit displayed in the basket. Seventh, mango fruit contains a lot of vitamins and minerals that will contribute great benefits for one’s health and help us in maintaining one’s heart in good shape.

These are just few of the reasons why consider mango as the National Fruit in the Philippines. Now, who would not exactly be proud of having mango as their National Fruit?

Mangoes are really popular in the different tropical countries and there are different varieties of it. There are over 2,500 varieties of mango in whole world, and one thing that all of these varieties share a common thing is that all are green when unripe. Some remain green, while other turns golden, bright red, or a combination of these colors. Mangoes can be round, oval, heart-shaped, or kidney-shaped; and can weigh as little as a few ounces or as much as five pounds. Their highly aromatic flesh surrounds a very large inedible flat seed. At its best, it has a pleasant quality, but at its worst can smell like kerosene. Fresh mangoes are rich in Vitamins A and C and other nutrients.

Some varieties of mangoes in the Philippines are shared worldwide but there are different kinds of mangoes that we are proud and known of. In the Philippines, good examples of these are Manggang Kalabaw (Carabao Mangoes), Katchamitha (Indian), Pico (Piko), Pahutan (Mangifera altissima), Dubul, Binuboy, Senorita and Pajo.

Manggang Kalabaw also referred to as “Manila Super Mango” by the Philippine government is reported to be the sweetest mango in the world. The Manila mango is more slender than any other large mango varieties and it has a yellow-orange skin which wrinkles once it is very ripe.

Philippine’s carabao mango is also enjoyable to eat when unripe especially if one will eat it with bagoong, salt or anything one will prefer.

Katchamita mango is small and short oval in form. Its skin is smooth and its color varies to green to yellow green when mature. Filipinos usually prefer the fruit unripe (when it turns green) than when it is ripe.

Its red button mark is develop when it reach its matured green stage and it is Pico's difference among the other varieties. Filipinos usually favor them in their green rich in falvor stage rather than in yellow ripened stage. It is nicer in that stage of ripeness, crunchy with a bit of tartness and a hint of sweetness, than when they are fully ripened. Its sweetness when ripe is tasteless compared to the carabao mangoes which are really well-known for its sweetness.

Pahutan mango or commonly known as Menang is consumed uncooked or employed in preserves. Senorita mango, which is commonly grown in the fertile lands of Davao region, is rich in flavor and contains lots of vitamins C and A.

Pajo mango is best eaten fresh just by peeling its skin. If it is unripe, it is quite sour but has more vitamins C. It is best eaten with a shrimp paste or fish sauce. Pajo mango when unripe is also commonly used in making pickles. Filipinos also love eating manggang hilaw (green, unripe mangoes) raw with rock salt or with the fish paste bagoong.

Mango is not just known for its sweetness, it also serves as a sole ingredient in various desserts, ice creams, sundaes, jams, beverages, and some dishes. Filipinos just love mangoes. One can prepare a lot of things out of mangoes, from mango shake to mango jam, mango pie to mango float or to toppings on fruit salad or as an accompaniment to different dishes. Mango is a very versatile fruit. Nothing can quite compare with the mangoes that we have here in the country aside from the mangoes that we share in common with the distinct countries around the world.

Among these popular desserts made out of mango is the so-called Mango Float, which is very common here in the Philippines. Mango Float is easy to prepare, affordable and appropriate for almost all occasions. Mango Float preparation comes in 6 steps.

(1) Slice mangoes thin.

(2) Combine condensed milk, nestle cream and mangoes. Layer the graham crackers in a square glass pan.

 (3) Put layers of graham crackers followed by the mangoes, cream and milk mixture.

(4) Repeat the layers of graham crackers and filling until you’ve used it all. Top the final layer with graham crackers.

(5) Chill overnight.

(6) Serve frozen Mango Float.

(From http://lutongpinoy.info/mango-float/)

Another popular recipe that uses mango as an ingredient is the well-known Mango Shake, where in, it is really a famous thirst quencher.

There are 4 steps how to make a Mango Shake.

(1) Boil the milk and allow it to cool down to room temperature.

(2) Peel and cut the mango and crush in a mixer.

(3) Pour the milk and sugar; grind once again.

(4) Serve chill Mango Float.

(From http://www.indobase.com/recipes/details/mango-shake.php)

There are several ways to eat a mango. These are the following, through easy slices, with the use of a spoon, cut in cubes or on a fork. When a person eats a mango through easy slices, he or she must have a sharp thin-bladed knife, and cut off both ends of the fruit. Then, place the fruit on flat end and cut away peel from top to bottom along curvature of the fruit. Lastly, cut fruit into slices by carving lengthwise along the pit. One can also enjoy eating a mango with the use of spoon to scoop out fruit from halves and enjoy sweet center over the sink. Eating mango in cubes is also easy; one must cut 1/2" squares by scoring mango with a sharp knife and be careful not cut through skin; turn mango half "inside out," separating cubes then lastly, slice off squares with a knife. The last way to enjoy eating a mango is on the fork. One must cut skin on top of mango crosswise, and then pull skin away from fruit in quarters or eighths, place mango on a fork and serve. (http://freshmangos.com/aboutmangos/index.html)

All in all, I can truly attest that mango is almost everyone’s favorite all-around fruit.

Sources:

http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Mango

http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Dried_Mangoes

http://www.agroforestry.net/tti/Mangifera-mango.pdf

http://freshmangos.com/mangorecipes/recipes.html

Exercise

1.
Mark Twain is the author of Huckleberry Finn.
Huckleberry Finn is a classic American novel.
Mark Twain's real name was Samuel L. Clemens.
He lived in Hartford for several years.

Mark Twain, whose real name was Samuel L. Clemens, lived in Hartford for several years and is the author of Huckleberry Finn, a classic American novel.

2.
Mark Twain's house was very elaborate and elegant.
It was on Farmington Avenue.
It was in an area called Nook Farm.
He was a neighbor of Harriet Beecher Stowe.
Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin.  

 Mark Twain stays in a very elaborate and elegant house on Farmington Avenue in the area called Nook Farm with Harriet Beecher Stowe, who wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin, as his neighbor. 

3.
Mark Twain's home has a large side porch.
Windows and a balcony overlook the porch.
Today, people say the windows and balcony remind them of a steamboat.
In his youth, Twain piloted steamboats on the Mississippi. 

Today, people say the windows and balcony overlooking the large side porch on Twain's home remind them of a steamboat he used to pilot on the Mississippi.

4.
Mark Twain was one of the first three people in Hartford to own a telephone.
The telephone was first used commercially in nearby New Haven.
There was practically no one to talk to.
Mark Twain never really liked this newfangled gadget.

Mark Twain was one of the first three people in Hartford to own a telephone, which was first used commercially in nearby New Haven, but he never liked this newfangled gadget because there was practically no one to talk to. 

5.
Mark Twain loved industrial inventions.
He lost a fortune investing in them.
One of these inventions was the elaborate Paige typesetter.
Unfortunately for Twain, this machine was developed at the same time as the Linotype.
The Linotype machine was much simpler and less expensive.

Mark Twain, who loved industrial inventions, invented the elaborate Paige typesetter but he lost a fortune investing in them because it was developed at the same time as the Linotype, which was much simpler and less expensive. 

6.
Mark Twain's beloved daughter, Susy, died in the Hartford home.
She died of spinal meningitis.
Twain never felt the same about the house again.
He soon left the house and Hartford.
He returned only once.
He came back for the funeral of his friend, Charles Dudley Warner.

Mark Twain left the house and Hartford, only returning once for the funeral of his friend Charles Dudley Warner, because it never felt the same after his daughter, Susy, died there of spinal meningitis.

On Calories and Indian Food Articles

A. On Calories

Dr. Chua presented a lot of concrete and specific informations regarding the calories we can get in a certain food and the calories we can burn in a certain activity. He was able to present so many information that a reader would probably not forget how important it was. A good example of this was his way of defining what is really a calorie and his presentation of the formula in knowing how much one's total calorie requirement.With his specific way of giving exact amount of calories food has and exact amount of calories certain activity will burn, it will greatly satisfy the readers. His way of presenting his essay was so intriguing that it could really make you more conscious as to what you are trying to intake because of the detailed informations. His essay would greatly help those who are still ignorant as to how important, is gaining and burning calorie, is in our body. I must say that because of his concrete and specific informations, he will not probably fail in reaching and supplying in the readers mind that one should be aware of how important is healthy eating and being conscious in the food we are trying to intake.

B. On Indian Food

In the first paragraph, the author was specifically referring to the Indian food as different from the rest of the world not only in taste but also in cooking methods. He mentioned that all of this will not take place without the various civilization that greatly influenced the food in India just like its culture.The writer was able to present to us specific information on the food abundant in the northern, western, eastern and southern part of India. In the northern part, the cuisines reflect strong Central Asian influences which mostly all the dishes were prepared with rice and a variety of flours. Desert cuisines  was also stated by the writer as the famous food in the western part and pickles as substitute to fresh vegetables. The writer was able to describe perfectly the noticeable cooking styles in the eastern India by stating specifically the special way of preparation.On the other hand, the writer decribed the southern India as a state that makes great use of spices, fishes and coconuts.The writer was also concrete in stating different terms used in his essay and giving the readers an easy time to picture it out. All in all, the writer was able to satisfy the reader's curiosity as to what is really great in the Indian foods.

Turn out the lite...by Anderson Digby; 

Nostalgia for Kerala (and its food) by Pete Cherches

Negative Connotations:
1.The mildest thing one would want to say about this horrid dry pink innovation, which sweated under the grill and fell to bits under the knife, was that it was less than a sausage.
2.There is a word that usefully captures this trend to the insipid and denatured, and it is "Lite."
3.Lite is insipid, weak, denatured, flat, diluted, and easy: food for cowards and children.
4. He is ignorant, timid, squeamish, and childish.
5.Our religion is insipid and undemanding.


Positive Connotations:
1.There are beautiful beaches and backwaters, places of great historical interest, reflecting the region's varied colonial past, and an overall sense of contentment and well-being among the people.
2.A Keralan curry gets its name from the aromatic curry leaf, and it's often cooked with onions and tomatoes.
3.Jewtown is full of curio and spice shops, and the smells are wonderful.
4.It's a mannered, gestural, ritualistic dance theatre, similar in some ways to other Asian dance idioms, such as Indonesian and Japanese forms. 
5. The dancers have perfect control of all face and body muscles, and the make-up is striking and elaborate.