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The taste of summer

Follow the mango trail this season at Raintree Hotel and The Park Sheraton

PHOTO: M. KARUNAKARAN

MANGO MANIA The spread at Raintree Hotel

They're languidly wrapping the city with their heady aroma. As the long awaited mango season finally arrives, in a burst of plump golden fruit, Chennai-ites are swinging into action to make the most of the next few mango-laden months.

Once you're done with ripping the fruit apart to dive into its deliciously drippy interiors, perhaps you could try the gourmet route. Because the nicest thing about the king of fruits is the fact it's so adaptable: slipping into a stylish mango parfait with the same ease with which it splashes into a tall, cold glass.

At the Rainbow coffee shop, Raintree Hotel, Chef Jugesh Arora is evidently enjoying the Alphonso phase of the season. Talking about the unbeatable taste of this mango variety ("Because, whatever you say, Alphonso is Alphonso"), he says he's worked the mango — which is rich is betacarotene — into a number of desserts, from cheesecakes to kulfis.

Highlights

The highlight of his menu is probably his mango cake: layers of fluffy sponge cake interspersed with mango puree and dollops of fresh cream. Since the half tangy, half sweet fruit has such a distinctive flavour, it also shines through the cheesecake and tarts quite intensely. To add an interesting twist to cubed bowls of the fruit, it is also served topped with mint sauce, cream or ice cream. And of course, there's mango milkshake and frozen parfait too.

You can also follow the mango trail to Dakshin, Cappuccino and The Residency at the Park Sheraton, where the chefs have whipped up an array of mango-based desserts and — more importantly — sherbets and coolers to beat the heat.

SHONALI MUTHALALY

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