Here in sunny oh-god-my-face-is-about-to-burn-off Jamaica, April means the mango trees start to get heavy with fruit while greedy birds and vendors wait to pounce when they ripen. As the old song goes,

Mi nuh drink coffee tea – mango time
Care how nice it may be – mango time
In the heat of the mango crop
When di fruit dem a ripe an’ drop
Wash yu pot, tun dem dung – mango time.

Now personally one big Julie mango will tide me over quite nicely, but I love a good East Indian mango just as well. And the one they call John-belly-full can serve you and your friends and everybody happy. Just make sure you keep the Stringy far away from me.

The mango may not be a native Jamaican delicacy (originally brought over from India in the 18th century) but it’s definitely a native part of our culture now.

So whether you’re serving Green Gauge or Bombay: wash yu pot, tun it dung- mango time!