Page 33 - Seniorstoday April 2022 Issue
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mangoes looked and tasted. The nawab is grown across the Caribbean, Central
liked the taste and named it Kesar, and South America, including Mexico,
meaning Saffron (circa 1934). Nicaragua, Guatemala and Puerto Rico.
Traditionally the Gir Kesar is loved for Keitt mangoes stay green even when
its luscious taste and extreme sweetness they’re perfectly ripe and have a citrusy
and finds itself jostling for “queen” status aroma whilst being sweet.
amongst its various counterparts. It is
the popular choice for mango pickles and Langra
Gujarati chunda (sweet mango pickle)
Glenn
Another interesting mano story goes
that about 300 years ago, in Banaras,
now Varanasi, an orchard grower who
Glenn is a Florida favourite. The tree being lame, was called “langda” by his
consistently produces mango and it family and friends; he ate a mango and
grows effortlessly. Glenn mango has a planted a seed, which fruited into a sweet
mild peachy flavour, which is both sweet and juicy crop of mangoes. They came to
and delicious. be known as Langra after the man, and
voilà, they are a mango lover’s delight
Keitt even till today!
Langra, is medium in size, has an
oval shape and is green in colour. The
bright lemon-yellow flesh of the Langra
is super juicy sugary sweet taste, and
is scarcely fibrous. Langra like Keitt,
maintains it green colour after it gets
ripe. This pulpy mango is cultivated in
mid-season in many states including
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana,
Mangoes, I discovered, are named after Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya
the people who discovered them, with Pradesh, Orissa, Punjab, West Bengal
most of them starting as backyard fruit and Rajasthan.
trees. This variety is named for Mrs. J.N.
Keitt who planted a seed in her Florida Madam Francis
backyard in 1939. Today, this cultivar Haitian mango or Madam Francis is
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #34 | APRIL 2022 33
