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Food & Drink

America’s newest pastime: driving 10 hours to Canada for mangoes

By Karon Liu
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Fruits of their neighbour: honey mangoes on display at a London market (Image: Jay Bergesen)
Honey melons at a London market (Image: Jay Bergesen)

This week’s example of the “U.S. acknowledges Canada’s existence” trend comes in the form of mangoes, which seem to be right up there with prescription drugs on the list of items that Americans are willing to cross the border to buy. The Star reports that some Yanks are so in love with the fruit—Pakistani ones, to be exact—that they’re driving to Toronto to load up on cases of the stuff because the U.S. banned them for not meeting pest control standards.

Salivating yet? We called a local grocer to check on Pakistani mango stocks:

“I just got my shipment last night,” said Ali Popat of Kohinoor Foods at Gerrard and Coxwell. “They’re sweeter than sugar so they’re called honey mangoes. The chaunsa variety is the best. After the Indian mango season ends in June, the Pakistani mango season starts so we get calls from people as far as Michigan and Buffalo who drive all the way here. They buy four or five cases and eat them all before going home.”

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Islamabad last week in an effort to bring these forbidden fruit to her country. “I have personally vouched for Pakistani mangoes, which are delicious, and I’m looking forward to seeing Americans be able to enjoy those in the coming months,” she told the AP. “Trial shipments” of the stuff is slated to make their American debut later this year.

Elsewhere, Jordan lifted their five-year ban on the mangoes in 2009 and has placed a shipment for 125 tons of them after approving a way to wash the mangoes. Posh London department store Harrods also held a two-week long promo in June to raise buzz about the Kesar mango from India.

Four examples officially make it a trend. Take that, overpriced Yubari melons.

• Americans flock to Toronto to buy coveted Pakistani mango [The Star] • Clinton Adds to Curious History of Mango Diplomacy [ABC News]Jordan lifts ban on Pakistani mango [Dawn.com]Reliance mangoes make it to Harrods [Times of India]

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