Orlando, Fla. – The National Mango Board (NMB) is celebrating regional cuisines with a mango twist. The world’s most popular fruit will be featured in Mango Hometown Tour, a program that challenges top local chefs to incorporate the naturally sweet flavor of mangos into their regionally-inspired dishes. Mango Hometown Tour will connect with consumers in opportunity markets to grow mango consumption.
Two chefs in each of six cities will be enlisted to create a recipe that reflects the best of their region with a featured mango variety. The chefs will participate in a taste-off to see whose mango dish truly reflects the essence of mangos and captures the flavor of the region. Each judging panel will include members of the local food media. The NMB is also working with a retailer in each market to showcase mangos for consumers before, during and after the event.
“Mango Hometown Tour gives us the opportunity to bring our passion for mangos to markets that have great opportunities to grow their mango consumption,” said Wendy McManus, director of marketing for the National Mango Board. “These markets were selected for their growth potential, their size and their media-friendly reputation.” According to McManus, Mango Hometown tour will make a big impact on the consumers who attend the event, helping them connect with mangos like never before and creating an army of mango ambassadors. In addition, media outreach will bring the mango message to millions of consumers through local TV appearances, newspaper and magazine articles, and coverage on food blogs.
Following each Friday taste-off event, the NMB will host a Saturday luncheon for local mom communities. A kid-friendly mango cooking demonstration and mango cutting lesson will accompany a lovely mango-infused lunch to pamper these influencer moms. A mango gift bag for each attendee will help them bring the mango magic into their home kitchens and get their little ones eating more mangos right away.
Mango Hometown Tour schedule:
Charlotte, NC – May 13-14: In a place known for its Southern charm, Fran Scibelli and Chef Tom Condron are challenged to create a dish that infuses Tommy Atkins mangos into their upscale southern cooking. Scibelli, lawyer-turned-restaurateur, is known for delivering her signature eclectic American food to customers at Fran’s Filling Station and has been a local favorite for years. Condron, co-owner and executive chef at The Liberty, serves up delectable Southern fare in this hip South End gastropub. Harris Teeter grocery stores will inspire Charlotte consumers to enjoy the fruit at home with recipes and other helpful resources.
· Portland, OR – June 17-18: Food truck restaurateurs Chef Bo Kwon and Addy Bittner will face off to create a mango dish reflective of America’s premier food truck city, featuring the Ataulfo mango. Kwon’s Koi Fusion serves up Korean-style tacos at his two carts, a stationary location and a catering division. Bittner, owner of Addy’s Sandwich Bar, draws in customers with her unique pairing of European flavors and quality ingredients. In Portland, consumers can find mangos at Fred Meyer, where they can take home creative but simple cooking ideas.
· Tampa, FL – July 8-9: Chef Ferrell Alvarez and Chef Christopher Ponte will pay homage to their city’s diverse roots by creating tantalizing fusion dishes featuring mangos, most especially the Francis. At Café Dufrain, Alvarez serves up contemporary American fusion cuisine with a magnificent waterfront view. Ponte creates a luscious meld of Asian, Italian and European flavors at his Tampa Bay restaurant, Café Ponte. Tampa’s Sweetbay Supermarket will feature exciting mango displays and usage ideas in each store, to help consumers bring the mango magic home.
· Cleveland, OH – July 29-30: In a city where the food is as great as the lakes, Chef Steve Schimoler and Chef Jonathan Bennett are challenged to create seafood dishes paired with Kent mangos. Schimoler’s Crop Bistro & Bar is known for its fun, inventive culinary creations starring fresh local fare, and he is sure to bring the same aesthetic to the competition. Bennett’s Moxie, the Restaurant, features imaginative New American cuisine with a fresh take on a variety of complex yet simple seafood dishes. Cleveland retail partner, Giant Eagle, will help consumers find the freshest mangos and show them the best ways to select, cut and prepare mangos at home.
· Hartford, CT – August 26-27: Surrounded by a Mecca of universities and colleges, it is no surprise that Hartford’s food scene is known for late night dining. That’s why we’ve challenged Chef Chris Torla and Chef Billy Grant to give their late night fare a Keitt mango makeover suitable for all hours. As partner and executive chef at Trumbull Kitchen, Torla’s menu draws on various cultures to create dishes bursting with flavor. At all three of Grant’s Hartford establishments, Restaurant Bricco, Grant’s Restaurant and Bar and Bricco Trattoria, his offerings incorporate fresh, seasonal items into each dish. Price Chopper will help Hartford customers learn all about mangos, helping them bring home a taste of the tropics.
The NMB will be providing updates on the tour and offering opportunities for the public to get involved. Visit www.mango.org/hometowntour for additional information on the Mango Hometown Tour including dates, location information, event highlights, photos and videos.
About National Mango Board
The National Mango Board is a national promotion and research organization, which is supported by assessments from both domestic and imported mangos. The board was designed to drive awareness and consumption of fresh mangos in the U.S. One cup of mango is only 100 calories, an excellent source of vitamins A and C, a good source of fiber and an amazing source of tropical flavor.
Mango availability per capita has quadrupled since 1990 to an estimated 2.24 pounds per year in 2010. Mango import volume for 2010 was 770 million pounds. Learn more at www.mango.org.
Source: National Mango Board
