As the summer heat continues to beat down on us with unrelenting fury, there’s little that can be said in favour of the season. Except — that it brings with it a bounty of an especially sweet kind! The King of Fruits reigns supreme in the summer months and finds its way into our food and drinks. Devotees for whom just savouring the mango in its natural glory isn’t enough, will take much heart in the many specially designed menus that watering holes and eateries come up with, to make way for the mango invasion.
When preparing cocktails, the form in which you use the mango makes all the difference. For instance, when used in its raw form (kairi), a mango cocktail is light, refreshing and wonderfully tart. It’s for those who like their drinks with a fair bit of tang. On the other hand, using the ripened variety leads to drinks that are smoother and creamier in texture, with the overarching flavour of sweetness.
Needless to say, this would be a heavier drink than one made with green mangoes.
While in season, drinks that use fresh mango puree or juice would be the obvious choice. But a lot of places use the canned/packaged variety as well, and you would need to ask your server which type they use. Some recipes call for the spirit used to be mango-flavoured (liqueurs/vodkas). Bar menus are offering some interesting mango-based tipples and you should surely find a drink that suits your palate the best.
In the meantime, why not try making a mango-infused vodka at home while the season lasts? Wash a mango well, then peel and cut it into large chunks. Place at the bottom (do not use the seed) in a glass jar with an airtight lid and pour in some good quality vodka over it and seal. Keep the jar in a cool, dry place for about a week; shaking it a few times each day. At the end of the week, strain out the vodka and it’ll be ready to serve.
The writer is a bartender
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Do try these at home:
MANGO PARADISE
Ingredients
- 60 ml Cachaca (Brazilian Rum)
- 75 ml mango juice
- 15 ml sugar syrup
- 4 lime wedges
Preparation
Muddle the lime wedges with cachaca and sugar syrup in a shaker. Add the mango juice and then shake well for 4 to 5 seconds. Pour into glass and (optional) garnish with a lime and cherry.
MR ALFONSO
Ingredients
- 45 ml Bacardi white
- 5 ml Bacardi black
- 105 ml mango juice
- 15 ml sugar syrup
- Mango pieces for garnish
Preparation: Pour all the ingredients in a tall glass over ice. Garnish with the mango pieces. Serve.
