by Esme McAvoy
Life here in the mountains might be relaxed and calm but I feel like there’s so much to learn. Things that I’d never even thought to question before while living in the city, about how things grow, and when. We’re now in the height of summer and observing the countless changes it brings in garden’s plants, trees and insects.
The intense summer sunshine seems to have woken up every plant and tree we have, its warmth encouraging them to flower and produce fruits. There are hundreds of bunches of still-green mangoes hanging from the mango trees that are now the right size and only need to turn that delicious shade of sunset orange-pink. Unable to wait until they’re fully ripe, we’ve started to pick them green, peeling then grating them with a little lemon juice to give an extra crunchy, sweet-sour zing to a big bowl of salad. Stewing them with cloves, a stick of cinnamon and a good dose of Colombian brown sugar, panela, also puts them to good use, producing a thick, apple sauce-like compote that’s delicious on toast or stirred into porridge.
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Just a quick note to say many thanks for a delightful meal. The tastes and ideas were great...! Nicholas