Mangoes

This tropical fruit comes in two main types: oval, with a skin that ranges from green to orange to red, and kidney-shaped, with skin that is more uniformly yellow when ripe. Mangoes have a thin but tough skin and yellow to yellow-orange flesh that is juicy and aromatic. Fruit should be plump and firm, with clear color and no blemishes. Avoid rock-hard fruit, which may not ripen properly.

Let ripen at room temperature until slightly soft. Peel and cut flesh away from center stone, or cut in half before peeling, working a thin-bladed knife around both sides of the flat stone.