Chili Mango?
A Haiku about a Lame Snack
dry, spicy, sweet qualities of something else certainly not this
So, I bought this bag of Chili Mango… I’d eaten the dried cantaloupe, the dried tangerines, and the dried strawberries from this company. I’ve even eaten dried mango from other companies. I’m a fan of all of these things, though the tangerines can be a bit tart and sharp on the concentration of the citrus flavor. I’m also a fan of chilis. I put chili powder in a great many things I cook and, if I’m not cooking it for other people, I may add some spicier pepper too. This Chili Mango was none of the things I was looking for.
Not only is the seasoning so caked on and full of sugar, but it is also seemingly devoid of a solid flavor profile. Imagine eating a sour gummy — except they forgot the fruit flavor in the gummy, and accidentally dropped a metric tonne of ground paprika in the sour sugar. That’s the closest thing I can think of to describe the flavor of these “mango” strips.
If there’s any resemblance of a typical slice of dried mango, I don’t even think it comes from the texture under the crust. These are much more chewy and gooey than any other dried mango I’ve eaten. In conclusion, eat the soft dry cantaloupe or strawberries. Find a better spicy mango for yourself.
Adam Deitsch is an environmental scientist and climate speaker. Check out his other work for environmental, policy, and other varying topics. He also loves food. He’s the founder of Just the Recipe, and occasionally writes poems and other pieces about food elsewhere.
More food poetry from the author:
Choice food poetry from some other authors:
