CUBA’S MONTH OF FRUIT
JULY IS AVOCADO & MANGO MONTH IN CUBA
Besides being the start of the serious rainy season, July is also one of the best months for fruit lovers in Cuba, it’s when the two most popular fruits are in season. Both avocados and mangos are at their peak in the middle of summer and offer an interesting contrast in their use in the Cuban diet. Cuba is home to every major variety of both fruits. In summer both lunch and dinner are accompanied by a few slices of avocado, and mango juice and milk-shakes are popular for breakfast or as snacks.
While limes, oranges, and sour oranges are also in season in July, they do not have such a visible place in Cuban cuisine. Avocados and mangos can be found for sale at markets and in roadside carts throughout Cuba, and everyone has their special way of picking prime examples of both fruits. With avocados I go by the color and sound rule, dark green with little shine and a quick shake to hear the seed rattle inside. Mangos vary widely, and I have no one rule for them. From the small filipinos, which are yellow when ripe and extremely sweet, to the big high’s, which look like giant apples and seem to have the purest mango taste. Mangos should be firm but pliable, and with no bruises.
Mangos in Cuba are always associated with sweet dishes and desserts, and avocados are traditionally an accompaniment to a meal. If you’re into organic foods, most of the avocados and mangos throughout Cuba are grown organically, not by design, but because of a lack of fertilizer and other non-organic growth aids. Avocado and mango trees can be found all over Cuba and are as natural as they get. Come to Cuba and see for yourself!
By Frank Gonzalez