This is a guest post by my friend, Akwugo – an excellent, excellent writer who loves stories and connecting with people through them. Connect with her here xxx The one fruit that I am super sure was present in the splendid and perfect garden of Eden is the mango! Even ahead of the apple, which...
I’m obsessed with geography – I’ve always been. What if I can’t read maps that well, what if? And no, don’t say ‘You’re a geologist’ because I, more than anyone else should know that. I’ve almost always loved the contours that define spaces, the grids that govern some cities and making, finding my way. I...
‘Nigerian Seasonal Produce’ is a monthly column which will be published on the last Saturday of every month. In this column, a writer explores a specific seasonal fruit, vegetable or leafy green assigned by the editors of Kitchen Butterfly and based on the Nigerian Seasonal Produce Calendar. Our author this month is Eromo whose writing I love,...
Mangoes. My favourites and this variety from Ogbomosho has me so stoked. It is pretty early though for these mangoes to be out. I mean, agbalumo is barely here and Nigerian mangoes, especially this variety normally show up in the first few weeks of February. Global warming? Climate change? For a fact, this harmattan season was the warmest...
If you ever want to know what’s in season in Nigeria, look at the streets. You’ll see the colours set before you of all that’s fresh and gorgeous and right now, it’s a really long list: Tiger nuts This are my fruits/ nuts/ tubers of the season – I can see manyyyyyy explorations already, from drinks to...
‘In season’ again… Ginger All year round, ginger is available but right now, the rhizomes – the name given to the small tubers – of ginger in market stalls are amazingly fresh. Thin-skinned, fresh flavoured and relatively big. Limes Big, juicy and cheaper than they’ve been – limes are ‘back in season’. Yes, like ginger...
Because I had one ‘apple’ mango left. Not my favourite but nice to try. These mangoes remind me of the light apple flavour with a hint of pineapple. It was still firm – a requirement I think for mmaintaining integrity and not turning to mush during cooking. It starts off simply – salt and pepper...
I love mangoes and their varied character. To me, the mango is itself in so many ways – sweet and sour and tart. Just like it’s seed. Gnawing on one, I often find myself licking the core of a mango with a puzzled look as I navigate the compass of flavours, flossing my teeth on...
Updated 3rd June 2022 Yes, mango fever is here, stalls decorated with baskets of green and orange, red-blushed, and almost tan fruit in varieties from Cotonou to Ogbomosho. For a long time, I paid no heed to the varieties of mangoes in fruit stalls and on the streets for I’ve only ever liked one variety...