When I buy mangoes and put them in a fruit basket, in about 2 days a sweet aroma fills the kitchen and I know they’re ripe enough to eat. The shiny red mango has become the symbol of southern countries, and though I thought mangoes came from Brazil, they’re actually from the northeastern part of India where it’s said they’ve been cultivated for over 4000 years. Based on the legend of Buddha passing the night under a mango tree, it’s named one of the 5 trees of Buddhism.
In Brazil, the Portuguese imported mango seeds from India around the 18th century and began cultivating mango trees. Today, mangoes are primarily cultivated in the northeastern part of Brazil, but they’re also grown in the states of Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais.

There are said to be more than 100 kinds of mango, but Tommy Atkins, Palmer, and Haden are popular in Brazil. The skin is glossy and the bright color draws the eye. Sweet, juicy, meaty mangoes that aren’t fibrous are popular. However, there is a small type of mango called Coquinho that is really sweet. Since it has a lot of fibers and its small size means that once the skin is peeled there is little fruit left, a single hole is cut and the fruit is sucked out from there. Your mouth becomes sticky with mango juice, but it’s a delicious way to eat mangoes.