Cebu’s Mango is the Best!
Cebu stakes a claim as having one of the finest mangoes in the world. Yes, other varieties in Asia may compete with sweetness, but Cebu mangoes are decidedly not fibrous like the others- just luscious, with roll-in-the-tongue texture. Otherwise referred commercially as the Philippine mangoes. At the Banilad fruit stand, a kilo is about 60 pesos (~$1.1) while it is only 40 pesos in the other dry markets. But guaranteed to be SWEET (not sour) and ripened naturally (without carburo or what we’d like to say, calcium carbide). The Philippines cannot enter into the US market because there are lobbies against it from other countries traditionally selling to the US. Plus there are high insecticidal standards which the Philippines still have to meet. Trade barriers are a complicated issue and unless they are settled, the Philippine mangoes are handicapped due to tariff hence the expensive price.(From Farl)
The fruit flesh of a ripe mango contains about 15% sugar, up to 1% protein, and significant amounts of vitamins A, B and C. The taste of the fruit is very sweet, with some cultivars having a slight acidic tang. The texture of the flesh varies markedly between different cultivars; some have quite a soft and pulpy texture similar to an over-ripe plum, while others have a firmer flesh much like that of a cantaloupe or avocado, and in some cultivars the flesh can contain fibrous material. Mangoes are very juicy; the sweet taste and high water content make them refreshing to eat, though somewhat messy. (From Wikipedia)
Of course, it’s one of my favorite fruits! I really love mangoes. I can make a lot of things out of mangoes, from ice cream to mango float to mango shake to toppings on oatmeal or as an accompaniment to suman. Mango is a very versatile fruit. Nothing can quite compare with the mangoes that we have here in Cebu aside from the Mangoes that the Guimaras Island produces.