Mango Season is Here in Thailand

More mango's are eaten fresh all over the world than any other fruit
I thought that was quite a statement, but after going on line and checking different web sites about mango's , I now firmly believe it to be a somewhat true statement

This is mango season in Thailand and almost everyone I know has a tree or two in their yard . We wait for the winter season to end so that the trees will flower and then watch, with amazement and anticipation as we see the fruit develop from a little pea size, to a full grown ,baseball size, ripe fruit ,to be relished and enjoyed . I say relished and enjoyed because since moving to Thailand I have come to love the flavor and smell and taste of this fruit. It starts to get ripe about the middle of March here in our village and around the area , tho some parts of Thailand have Mango's growing all the time and you can really enjoy them year round , But they do get pricey when out of season in our local area. I really don't care how pricey they get I have to have my Mango Fix as many days a week as possible . We here in Wang Pho are in the middle of our Mango season now and the folks that eat theirs green and in green salads and with sugar,chili peppers crushed, and a touch of salt have already raided the trees and what they couldn't reach or left on the trees are for us folks who like ours ripe and juicy. We have 4 mango trees (3 different varieties ) in our yard and get lots from them , and the neighbor has about 50 trees that they sell the green mango, every year to folks from Bangkok and they tell us to eat all we want once they have moved on. They have a couple of different varieties that I don't have , one being a mango called black gold and the fruit inside the green peel is as golden as can be and the taste is to kill for . The season here in Wang Pho starts in mid March and will run till April end, with a few varieties that hang on till May or mid May , we have a tree with a mango called a Gaull that will last clear up till mid June , they are a last resort mango for me as they are not as sweet as most . But they are better than no mango at all . And as my Mother use to say "beggars can't be choosy."
I only knew of the great taste of the mango and never really thought of the health benefits , till I did this research , and now I know that they are not only good to eat -- but they are Good for you and your body and can promote good health
The follow information was Googled and gleamed from the net and as far as I know is not copyrighted , so I am going to copy and paste for your reading enjoyment and enlightenment . I hope you enjoy the read .
I know I always say it, BUT!!!!!! this is just another reason why we're "Retired in Thailand and Loving It."

Mango trees are evergreens that will grow to 60 feet tall.

The mango originated in Southeast Asia where it has been grown for over 4,000 years. Over the years mango groves have spread to many parts of the tropical and sub-tropical world, where the climate allows the mango to grow best. Mango trees are evergreens that will grow to 60 feet tall. The mango tree will fruit 4 to 6 years after planting. Mango trees require hot, dry periods to set and produce a good crop. Most of the mango's sold in the United States are imported from Mexico, Haiti, the Caribbean and South America. Today there are over 1,000 different varieties of mango's throughout the world.

A comfort food. Mango's really can make you feel better! Beyond being delicious and rich in vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants, mango's contain an enzyme with stomach soothing properties similar to papain found in papayas. These comforting enzymes act as a digestive aid and can be held partially responsible for that feeling of contentment we experience during and after our daily mango ritual. Yes, it is quite natural to crave those mango's!

Mango, both in its green and ripe form is a very good tenderizing agent due to these same enzymes, therefore ideal to include in any marinade (see Mango Marinade under Sauces category in our Recipe Guide). In India they use a sour mango powder containing ground up green mango's called Amchur, both as a seasoning and tenderizing aid.

We all know the importance of fiber in our diets. If you are eating your mango-a-day, irregularity is not a problem for you and so we'll spare the gruesome details regarding constipation, piles and spastic colon. Research has shown that dietary fiber has a protective effect against degenerative diseases, especially with regards to the heart; may help prevent certain types of cancer, as well as lowering blood cholesterol levels. An average sized mango can contain up to 40% of your daily fiber requirement. For those of you who are physically active, whether working out or constantly on the go, mango's are also a great way to replenish that lost potassium. Deliciously rich in anti-oxidants, potassium and fiber - the mango is the perfect fruit! Truly 'the king of fruit'

Taking care of the Isuzu (now 10 years old )

With the very hot weather , the long rainy season and the high humidity during this time , it's very important that you pay close attention to the maintainace of your vehicles, so that they don't let you down or break down on a road trip, or the carport (another story for another time ).


After spending two days  long at the Isuzu shop I've got the maintaince and prevention work I wanted do to the truck . the following list is the things I had them do and replace , should do it for a while . Dad always told me to take car of my vehicle and they would not let me down when I needed them , I've tried to follow his advice .

Oil change and filter , fuel filter , auto trans filter and oil, rear end oil or grease , packed wheel bearings , new brake pads , new steering rod end , water pump , thermostat and housing , radiator hose bracket on engine , fan belts,power steering belt, a/c belts , gas for a/c , every rubber hose on the whole engine , flush radiator and refilled with new coolant. rebalanced tires and front end alignment replace dented hub cap , I think that's about it , maybe a few other small things I can't remember , oh ya aim the headlights for the road at night .checked timing chain and it was good to go.

 I think I got all the stuff I could think of , sure I forgot something but as I remember it's easy to make an appointment . Parts are about the same as America, but the labor is a lot less so it makes it affordable to take good care of your vehicles

 It is 10 years old and I think it still looks at least a 9  inside and out

A look at some of the stuff I replaced, lots of other stuff  cleaned and maintained.

Making Bacon and cooking dinner

Today was the day to smoke the pork belly that was curing for 9 days to make my very own bacon ( home cured with my secret spices , smoked in my home made smoker, and sliced to my liken thickness, It don't get no better ) soooo I did it and it turned out great will cool and slice later , the coals were still hot so I threw in some pork ribs for a quick smoke and them bar-b-qued them for dinner tionight , hows that for using the old noggin for something other that a hat rack LOL, and it's sooo hot we want have to heat the kitchen up tonight .I'll make my famous cole slaw, and with a bowl of my chili, I'll be eating in HOG heaven tonight , Ciejay likes it too.
I try to cook dinner or lunch at least once a week , and when I smoke the pork bellies and any other meat I have ready , it's a good day for me to cook , as I already have the kitchen messed up, so I might as well cook lunch and dinner while I'm at it , made chili and cole slaw while the meat was smoking , and I'll only have to clean up one time .

Taking care of business

This is a repeat . We just today had the maintenance man come and clean and service our A/C unit we have in the bedroom , the fan was running slow and the cool air would come and go, and the air smelt a little musty, so , I guess with all the hot weather we have had this year, plus the farmers have been burning more than usual this year , lots of dust and stuff got in the unit . I can report that it is working great and does the air ever smell fresh in the bedroom. I'll sleep well tonight .

I have said a few times before on my blog how important maintenance is , especially here in Thailand where we have lots of rain and then hot and humid, it takes it toll on things , and a/c units are no exceptions and need a lot of attention, if you want to have clean fresh , cool air when you need it , nothing worse than to turn on a/c and smell a musty odour coming out of the air vent , because of dust and mildew and who knows what. We have our A/C unit cleaned and checked twice a year.I have stayed in a few motel and hotels in Thailand and elsewhere , when the smell was worse than the heat, lol. We try to put a maintenance schedule on everything and Ciejay checks it once a month to see what we need to have fixed or maintained during the month. Sorry to say that most folks here in Thailand forget that stuff needs checked for cleaning , oiling , or general maintenance and you can see lots of things broke and laying around the side or back of the house that would have lasted for years if only a little TLC had be included in the owning of it . We have lived in our home with all of our stuff we bought 9 years ago and have only had to replace a few light fixtures that were in the house when we bought it.The stuff we bought new , takes a licking and keeps on ticking , with a little attention and maintenance. I hope you are like us and value the stuff you have spent your hard earned cash on and have learned that you can enjoy it for a long time with a little care , and you know what ?? it's never to late to start.