Mango Daiquiri & Tales from a MANGO FARM!! Recipe

The king of all cocktails – MANGO DAIQUIRI!!! There is no such thing as a higher technique to have fun the very best of Aussie summer season than with large, juicy, ripe mangoes. Make these straight up, with or with out a blender, or make slushy frozen Mango Daiquiris!

Plus, tales of this metropolis women’ adventures on a MANGO FARM!!!

On a scale of 1 to 10, this charges a 12 15: plucking a golden ripe mango off a tree then 10 minutes later, sipping on Mango Daiquiris….

HOW COOL IS THAT??😎

In order you most likely guessed, no this didn’t occur in my very own yard. It was on the Groves Tropical Fruit Farm in nation Queensland (Yeppoon, 1 hour from Rockhampton) which I visited to immerse myself within the pleasure of Mango Harvesting!! Common readers might bear in mind my journey from final yr, after I rocked up on the Groves farm to say g’day earlier than heading off to the motel to dump my baggage, and as an alternative was swept into the home and proven my room, welcomed by the household like I used to be an extended misplaced buddy. (Simply to make clear, I’d by no means met them earlier than, by no means even spoken to them, apart from a 2 minute “Assist me, I’m misplaced!” name enroute to the farm).

And this yr, it actually was visiting lengthy misplaced pals! The minute I drove as much as the farm, I used to be greeted by each member of the Groves like I used to be household. Ian – the Mango King, (thinks) he’s the Boss Man, Sandi – stunning to the core, the true Boss of the farm 😉, David – destined to take over the Mango Throne and the largest attraction on the native farmers’ markets (by no means seen a lot eyelash batting by the over 60’s), and Mel – Australia’s finest mango grader, juggler and dancer, a vibrant younger woman with knowledge and expertise past her years.

Meet the Groves. That is an Australian farming household that everybody will fall in love with. They characterize the very best of Australian horticulture – exhausting working, good (this rising stuff is critical large enterprise!), hilarious, heat, genuinely stunning folks from the within out.

PS There may be each chance that Ian (high left) is definitely smiling in that photograph, you simply can’t see it due to his bushy beard!!!

If there was ever a technique to really respect every bit of recent produce you deal with, go to a farm. I can’t let you know how a lot it has modified my perspective of issues. While you stroll the soil of exhausting labour, hear how a lot goes into rising the orchard (the dangers! Can’t recover from all of the issues that may go unsuitable!), all of the little and large particulars behind choosing, storing, grading, cleansing, packing, distribution to the markets then finally making it into the very shops that I store at…the thoughts boggles.

And the sheer scale! Me, I work on a MacBook with a digicam. That’s my tiny world. The whole lot on the farm is on such a big scale – particularly so once you’re a shortie like me. Tens of 1000’s of bushes, 1000’s of acres, tonnes of mangoes, big crates, towering stacks of trays full of ripe juicy mangoes….

Do you discover how the mangoes are a bit inexperienced and never the glowing yellow / blushing purple you’re used to seeing on the retailers? That’s as a result of the mangoes are picked at an actual time in its maturity cycle in order that when it arrives within the shops, wherever between 3-5 days after they’re picked off the bushes, they’re completely ripe and prepared for us to eat.

Too ripe, they usually’ll be overripe once they arrive. Not ripe sufficient they usually’ll by no means ripen correctly. The optimum time for mango harvesting is small, and I’m overwhelmed on the variety of issues that may go unsuitable. Mechanical issues with the tractors / packing manufacturing facility / storage facility, RAIN (attention-grabbing truth – can’t decide mangoes whereas or after raining, they get too tender to deal with), making certain the transport and distribution goes to plan. To not point out the precise rising of the mangoes themselves.

The ripe mangoes which may’t be distributed to shops are taken to the native farmers’ markets in Yeppoon, held each Saturday. I took my big digicam and tottered alongside to take a look at the motion, chattered to locals and stall holders who have been curious to know what I used to be doing, snapping photograph after photograph of David.

I may need instructed them I used to be taking pictures of David as a result of he’s a well-known mango grower…..”Oh , didn’t you recognize? Yeah, he’s actually well-known! I’m up right here from Sydney to do a chunk on him!” I mentioned, holding again a cheeky grin.  I’m wondering how a lot grief they’ll give him at subsequent weeks’ markets? 😉

PS I may be completely be biased, however I do declare that the Groves’ stall was the busiest and I completely swear to you, I’ve by no means seen a lot eye lash batting by the 60+ feminine age group. I’m positive it was all in regards to the mangoes. Optimistic!

And with all of the exhausting labour that goes into rising the mangoes….ahh, once they’re ripe and able to go, they’re a sight to see! Plump and juicy, mangoes are absolutely the king of all fruits. There is no such thing as a different fruit that screams of summer season like mangoes!

I used to be torn, completely torn about what recipe to share to have fun Aussie mangoes. The truth is, I spent an inordinate period of time making a clean and creamy Mango Ice Cream made with out an ice cream maker however ditched it on the final minute as a result of after I was chatting to locals on the market and listed every thing I had / was making with mangoes, Mango Daiquiris bought essentially the most enthusiastic response!

And so I current to you my Mango Daiquiri. 🙂 1 juicy plump mango will make 4 servings. Mangoes have a really robust flavour, most likely the strongest out of all fruit, so a bit bit goes a good distance. You possibly can’t style the alcohol in it in any respect, which makes it harmful / scrumptious.

Make it straight up as I’ve, with or with out a blender, or make frozen Mango Daiquiris! I’ve offered instructions for all of those.

Cheers! – Johnsat xx