Our 4-year old nephew Amishai enjoyed last weeks coconut action movie so much, he asked for another. So here is another fruit adventure for Amishai. As many of you also enjoyed the coconut movie, I don’t think Ami would mind if you watch this one too!
We have been watching carefully as the mangoes on the tree right behind our house have been growing bigger and turning a nice reddish color. This tree is a lot younger than the tree we have at the bottom of the hill and a lot smaller too! It is still pretty tall. Much taller than me and even taller than Dod Nick! And that’s pretty tall!
The very special thing about this mango tree is that is is a variety called “piña mango” (that’s Spanish for pineapple mango). The mangoes are very smooth (no fiber) and taste like a cross between a mango and a pineapple! Very tasty!
When mangoes are ripe, they fall off the tree. This is a bit of a problem, as this particular tree is at the TOP of our hill. Anything that falls down, goes rolling down down down down down the hill! So, it is good to pick the mangoes BEFORE they decide to fall off. When mangoes are ready to be picked, you just have to touch them slightly, and then they fall off their stems. A lot of people here have very tall poles with a net on the end. They go around fishing for mangoes off the trees! They stick the pole into the tree, place the net under the fruit and give it a nudge. The mangoes, if ready, fall into the net.
I said to Dod Nick “We should get one of those nets for our tree!” He thought that was a good idea. “No!” I changed my mind. “We should make one! It should be really easy to make”. Again, he thought that was a good idea. “Go for it!” he said. “YOU make it!”. That is not exactly what I had in mind when I said “We” should make it, but decided I would indeed go for it. How difficult could it be???
I should tell you that Dod Nick and I have very different approaches to building things. He spends a lot of time measuring. I don’t. I like to make things quickly. Here is my “Mango Catching Device”:
As you can see, I took a plant pot, punched a hole into it and stuck an extending painting pole into the hole! Job done! When Dod Nick saw my Mango catching device, He laughed. He was very dubious about its ability to stay put on the pole, not to mention actually catch mangoes. “Just you wait and see!” I told him, and out we want to fish for some mangoes. Do you think it worked? You’ll have to watch the video to find out! 
Jul 19, 2009 at 8:48 am
!!!!!
Jul 19, 2009 at 8:49 am
Oh, and I should mention, I have posted more licorice goodness, thanks!
Jul 19, 2009 at 10:12 pm
pretty impressive!! I don’t know why, but I saw that beautiful “catch” and the image of a mango upside down cake came to mind.
Jul 21, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Tasty!
Jul 20, 2009 at 10:50 am
you all have so much fun and you haven’t left the yard… i’m salivating again over your description of the pina mango, sounds yuuuuummmy.
Jul 21, 2009 at 7:58 am
Now that is original! right now I have mangoes all over my kitchen. I have given away many, eaten too many, and have too many!
Jul 21, 2009 at 8:04 am
I know the feeling! I’ve been freezing cubed mango for cooking curries once the mangoes are gone (last year I made chutney but did not freeze any and wished I had). I have 4 x 2 cup bags so far and much more to come! Good thing we have a deep-freezer as we have loads of bananas as well!
Jul 21, 2009 at 11:48 am
Hello Miri!
I don’t know if you have tried using the green bananas yet. It is a way not to have so many ripe bananas to deal with — not that this will be a problem, LOL! Boiled green bananas are used to make a kind of salad with virgin olive oil, vinegar, roasted bell peppers, and refried minced garlic and onions. Add salt & pepper as you like. Sometimes people just boil them and serve them straight as a side dish. They taste a bit starchy, but not like a potato. They can also be grated to form little balls with a bit of flour, adobo seasoned, and added to beans to be served over rice. Just a few suggestions in case you haven’t tried them yet.
Take care,
Ham
PS Grated green bananas are the base for the pasteles typically served for Christmas, but I know this is more of an acquired taste.
Jul 21, 2009 at 8:28 pm
We used those fishing rod contraptions when we had avocado trees in Southern California. They are great harvestors. Those mangos sound a lot like my jelly palm fruit – some of them are almost ready.
Jul 23, 2009 at 9:35 pm
hey, haven’t had a chance yet to sit amishai at the computer but i know he will be quite pleased with the footage. on my walk to pick him up from school yesterday i saw a building maintenance man using a tool rigged in the same spirit — he was pruning a tree with a really, realy long whatchamacallit, those hooks you use to open high-up windows. yanking at branches and strumming on that cord that opens and closes the hook to try and snip off branches. didn’t seem wholly effective but the passion he invested in the work made me think he was the creative mind behind the gadgetry. put me in mind of your, of course much more successful, implement.
Jul 25, 2009 at 9:17 am
“this movie, he could get the mango, like he didn’t think, with the pot. i liked it. i’m about to go to the aquarium. please can i have more movies. you can choose. i love you. from amishai.”
Jul 26, 2009 at 7:01 am
Dear Ami:
We’re glad you like the movie. Did you have fun at the aquarium? We’ll think of another movie for you!
Love,
Doda Miri