Mango magic ~ Bay Books

I once dated a girl who was allergic to mangoes. It lasted less than six weeks, and I haven't dated anyone since, which begs the question was I so traumatised by the possibility of not eating mangoes again that I have vowed off relationships? Perhaps that's not the only reason, so let's suffice to say I am a little bit in love with this fruit, and when I came across this book many years ago it found a place in my bookcase very swiftly.

I'm going to be honest with you here - the book was first published in the late 80's and it looks it, however if you are willing to look past the slightly dated food styling, you'll be pleasantly rewarded by the experience. Bay Books are an experienced cookbook publisher, and the book is easy to read and easy to use. Simply laid out recipes with straightforward methods and loads of big glossy photos provide an easy to use book for cooks of any experience level.

Admittedly I haven't cooked a lot of the recipes within the book, largely because I have to fend off my children to get near mangoes, so they tend to be eaten unadulterated, however there are plenty of reasons within the book to take your mango experience further.

You might start with the Indian mango salad which features chilli, yoghurt and coconut, or the Mango tabouli, but personally I'd skip the Seafood mango mould. For main dishes I feel spoilt for choice - I'd probably cook the Chicken with green mango curry, the Mango pork medallions or perhaps the Devilled mango crab which looks rather heavenly despite the name. And then you move onto the sweet stuff.

This is where the mango is truly in its element. The Mango soufflé, the Ginger mango cheesecake, the Mango ice cream, each and every one will leave you weak at the knees. I'm already thinking about when I'll make myself the After dinner mangoes, slices steeped in lemon juice, water and Cointreau, dried and rolled in cinnamon sugar and frozen for a cooling after dinner treat.

Now really, all this should be enough to satisfy the mango aficionado, so it comes as a pleasant surprise to find additional chapters on baked treats, pantry goodies and refreshing drinks. Personally I'm going to skip past the Mango gingerbread and its like, and drool over the Mango jam, the seven different chutney recipes (the Mango nectarine chutney sounds positively sinful), and the Spicy mango sauce. And while all this drooling is going on, a nice glass of Mango rum ice should keep me pretty well satisfied.

Recommended for mango fans, and those who love them.

- Kath