Throwback Snack: Mangoes
It’s one of my favorite childhood snacks because my grandparents would prepare it for me in different ways. Mama, my paternal grandma, would cut it into bite sized pieces and give me the seed (the juiciest part). Mama Yoly, my maternal grandma, cut it in slices similar to the Philippine Brand Dried Mangoes. Yeh Yeh, my paternal grandpa, put the mango on a stick and cut it to look like a flower.
This is the story about a Chinese grandfather/ granddaughter duo discovering Mexican Mango Flowers. Yeh Yeh used to spoil me with snacks. 7 Eleven, Happy Donuts, the corner store, and a Latino-owned mini mart were frequent pit stops on our walks home from school. One sticky, hot day Yeh Yeh picked me up and I immediately knew he was struggling with the heat. We were identical in rosy cheeks and sweaty ‘staches. We desperately needed something to help revive us so hurried into the mini mart next door.
We were head deep in a freezer looking for La Michoacana ice cream bars when two teenagers walked past us with mangoes on sticks, also known as Mango Pops or Mexican Mango Flowers. Time froze and my eyes followed them as they walked out in slo-mo. I was in awe. I was caught up in the first time I ever saw a Tajin coated mango carved into the shape of a flower.
Almost at the exact same time, Yeh Yeh and I snapped out of our trance and began our search for the mango treasure. We walked up and down every aisle and scanned every corner of the store but couldn’t find it. We decided it was time to ask for help. My grandpa spoke Cantonese so there was a language barrier that only I could help with. As a shy kid, I was nervous to talk to strangers, but as a mang-holic, I needed to know the answer to “Where did they get those mango sticks?” Just as I mustered up the courage to ask the cashier, I saw the mango carving station behind the counter. With my grin stretched from ear to ear, I said, “We’ll take two mango sticks please.”
One bite and my tastebuds had a celebration. I opted out of drenching it in Tajin so I was able to enjoy the fruit in all its glory: sweet, thirsty-quenching, belly-filling, and healthy, what more could I ask for? This snack was genius. The whole fruit was on a stick! We didn’t have to get our hands messy trying to savor every bit. I could eat the remnants around the whole pit without it slipping away. This was a game-changer.
After that first encounter, I was obsessed. We went to the mini mart every day until finally, Yeh Yeh had had enough. He is a foodie just as much as I am but it was becoming pricey. He knew how much I loved this snack and instead of telling me I can’t have it anymore, he found another way. We ordered it one last time and this time he paid attention to the carvings. The following day he said he had something to show me. He sharpened one end of a chopstick, stabbed it through the pit, peeled the skin with ease, and turned it into an edible flower. I couldn’t believe it. My grandpa taught himself how to prepare mango this way just for me.
Maybe I’m biased but the mangoes he carved were the sweetest I have ever had. From picking the best mango to the careful slices that turned into petals, he had a magic touch to it all. His love is unmatched in that way. No offense to my grandmas but Yeh Yeh holds the title of Ultimate Mango Master in my heart.
