Ready, set, mango!

MANILA, Philippines - Suddenly, it’s summer!  And suddenly, all I can think of is seeking relief from the summer heat. For me, summer brings back warm childhood memories of going home to the province to visit Lolo and Lola, dashing off to the beach with my siblings and cousins, playing outdoor games till our skin burned to a crisp, and having the time of our young lives. And not to forget, attempting to climb that tall and leafy robust mango tree, laden with those sweetly fragrant sun-kissed fruits that herald the coming of summer as sure as night follows day.

Going Gaga Over Mangoes

For those who go gaga over mangoes (and who wouldn’t?), summer means indulging in their favorite fruit like there’s no tomorrow. While many delightful mango types in varying sizes, colors, and tastes are grown throughout the year, it’s during the hot summer months that this king of fruit (and probably the fruit of kings dating back to thousands of years ago) reigns supreme. They sell by the tons like hotcakes on roadside fruit stands. Whenever we go out of town, we never fail to stop by a roadside fruit vendor and bring home lots and lots of precious ripe mangoes after a lot of haggling.

The good life: Good food, good company at Red Ribbon

Who doesn’t love mangoes? There’s just so much to love about this juicy, pulpy, fleshy, aromatic fruit. For one thing, mangoes are loaded with powerful antioxidants (phytochemicals that protect the body against the damaging free radicals), anticancer and anti-inflammatory health benefits. They’re high in fiber, iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamins A, B, C, E, and they’re low in carbohydrates. Mango is good for digestion as it fights acidity. Remember this, too: Mango contains glutamine acid that helps improve memory. And here’s a beauty tip: It’s good for the skin, relieving clogged pores. Yes, it can help with acne — simply apply thin slices on the area of the skin you want to clear up, leave on for about 10 minutes, and rinse with warm water. If that doesn’t work, at least you can enjoy eating the rest of the mango.

Native to Southeast Asia, mango is such a versatile fruit. You can eat it plain, puree it, pickle it, make it into a mango salad, mango salsa, mango barbecue sauce, mango chutney, mango jam, dried mango, mango maki roll, mango shrimp kebab, mango cake, mango pudding, mango crepe, and countless other treats you probably never imagined you could do with mangoes — especially with Philippine mangoes (Americans refer to them as Manila mangoes), arguably among the best in the world!

Ripe for the picking: Philippine mangoes are reputedly the sweetest in the world. Mangoes are versatile, you can make them into countless treats, like mango cream pie.

Pie in the Sky

And for the ultimate in mango delight, Mango Cream Pie is the stuff sweet dreams are made of. There are all sorts of pies out there — Pecan Pie, Almond Pie, Pumpkin Pie, Apple Pie, Strawberry Pie, Blueberry Pie, Key Lime Pie, Cheese Cake Pie — but for me, nothing beats Mango Cream Pie. It’s my sweet pie in the sky!

For bakers worth their salt (and sugar), making a pie crust from scratch should be, well, a piece of cake. I don’t bake, but I have friends who do — friends who try to master the art of making pie crusts. Making an impeccable pie crust could be the most intimidating task of baking. My friends have only succeeded in ending up with a soggy, caved-in pie crust, and falling flat on their faces. Well, I’ve got delicious news for you guys: I’ve just discovered the perfect Mango Cream Pie with the perfect crust from Red Ribbon! Cross my heart!

Red Ribbon devotees will never forget Mango Cream Pie as one of its good old cherished signature cakes. Now, it’s back, with so much more to offer. So much more flavorful, more filling, more refreshing!

Let’s take it from the top. To begin with, the pie is covered with slices upon chunky slices of golden ripe mangoes that glisten in the morning sun. I take a slice and delightfully catch the sweet scent of the ripe mango, as I bite into it and taste its rich, full flavor. Surely, these mango slices are the sweetest and most succulent I’ve ever tasted! The mangoes alone are enough of a treat. A lot of the mangoes in the pies I’ve tried are soggy, overripe or sour, the sourness unsuccessfully masked by the dollops of whipped cream that smother the pie. The mangoes in this pie have just the right kind of ripeness — you can say they’re ripe for the picking. For people craving mangoes, this Mango Cream Pie is a mango dessert like no other.

Cream of the Crop

As I like anything that’s cream-based, the cream in Red Ribbon’s Mango Cream Pie does not disappoint. It’s not too sweet, so as not to compete with the mango but rather complementing its sweetness. It’s generous without being overpowering. And guess what? The cream is deliciously laced with mango bits, which simply explode in your mouth like fireworks on New Year’s Eve.

And to go back to the crust, I just went to pieces after trying a piece of this Mango Cream Pie’s pie crust. The freshly baked crust tastes so good it’s guaranteed to warm the heart of every cookie lover. It’s lip-smackingly good I could finish a whole pie crust in one sitting! Best of all, while lending texture to the pie, the crust doesn’t taste heavy at all. It’s light and flaky, and holds the whole pie so well together. Most pie crusts I’ve put my finger in are either sticky or tough (probably too much flour worked into the dough) or gummy or worse, burned!

Sweet success: Red Ribbon’s wide array of cakes is the stuff sweet dreams are made of.

This Mango Cream Pie is certainly light and refreshing, and just so right for summer. I won’t think twice about bringing it to a potluck barbecue party my friends are planning this summer. I’m sure my friends and their kids will be thrilled to have this chilled dessert that’s so invigoratingly cool on the palate and scrumptiously light on the tummy after chowing down those hefty slabs of barbecue ribs. There’s nothing like a fruity ending to a hearty meal.

And one more thing I just discovered: Did you know that Mango Cream Pie is so delicious eaten frozen? Yes, just like ice cream! I like to cap my meal with ice cream to wash off the taste of fish or meat. Now, I don’t have to scream for ice cream after a meal because I have my Mango Cream Pie, fresh off the freezer.

I bet you, too, will go for this Mango Cream Pie. And never say bye-bye to this pie!