The mango is a wonderful fruit, so it’s no surprise that it appears in our newsletter every summer.
I’m not a fan of repetition, so this week, we’ll focus on a variety that I haven’t yet presented: the Omer mango, a homegrown Israeli breed. But before we dive into the Omer variety, which was developed in the experimental fields of the Volcani Institute back in the 1980s, let’s broaden our view and explore some fascinating facts about the mango.
The wild varieties of the mango tree originate from the tropical regions of India and China, where the fruit has been known and consumed in various forms for thousands of years. We all love eating fresh mango, but the sweet-tart fruit (depending on the variety) is also the base for the Indian chutney and, of course, the dish that’s become a national staple in Iraq—amba.
Let me take this opportunity to debunk a myth (and perhaps get into a little trouble with the Iraqi community). Two hundred years ago, no one in Iraq knew what amba was. Even the name itself originates from India.
So, what happened? In the 19th century, there was an abundance of mangoes in India, and traders directed this surplus to the Iraqi market. It’s likely that even us, Jews, played a part in this. A significant portion of the Indian Jewish community originally came from Iraq and were involved in trade, naturally establishing strong connections with the communities in Baghdad and Basra.
In any case, amba and mango became quite popular in Iraq, with mangoes eventually being cultivated there and spreading to other parts of the Middle East. When did they arrive in Israel? That remains unclear.
What is clear, however, is that by the late 1920s, Jewish farmers were already working on improving mango varieties. One notable example is the Maya variety, one of the most beloved mangoes in Israel, developed by Professor Hanan Oppenheimer as early as 1931. Yes, our Oppenheimer brought us a bombshell fruit about 15 years before the Oppenheimer of the Manhattan Project brought his bomb. Since then, Israel has become notable establishment in mango breeding, and one of the finest varieties can be found in our store this week—the Omer mango.
The Omer variety was introduced in 1980 by the Volcani Institute. It’s an exceptionally large and very sweet fruit (on the mango flavor scale, it’s more sweet than tart), just the way we want a fresh summer mango to be.
Chill it in the fridge for two hours, slice it up, and you’ve got yourself a world-class treat. It also pairs wonderfully with ceviche, and if you’re a fan of fruit sorbet, the Omer is perfect for that too.
Personally, August makes me lazy, so if you’ll excuse me, I’m just going to head to the fridge and grab the fresh Omer mango I’ve already prepared.
