Healthy eating and living an active lifestyle have become increasingly important over the last few years. For those looking for a snack that is great in both taste and nutrition, mangoes are a great choice! Full of rich vitamins and minerals, mangoes are an amazing way to satisfy your cravings without sacrificing your health. 

With some of the most beautiful beaches and picturesque scenery, Nevis is rich in both beauty and culture. Due to the fertile soil and land conditions, Nevis is the ideal location for the growing of succulent, delicious mangoes. With 44 different official types of mangoes and thousands of mango trees, Nevis is a mango lovers’ paradise!

Nevis is part of the Federation of St. Kitts & Nevis and is located in the Leeward Islands of the West Indies. The weather is typical of the Caribbean for most of the year with temperatures in the low to mid-80s°F / mid 20-30s°C, cool breezes and low chances of precipitation.

The annual Mango Festival held July 2 to 4 this year embraces the natural surplus of mangoes on the island. Some mango inspired dishes from the past are local chef Erika Berecia Stapleton’s chicken mango skewers with a mango glaze. The Chefs Mango Feast sits as one the main events of the festival, featuring some of the Caribbean’s most talented chefs. With time crunches and mystery baskets on their hands, the chefs will bring their imaginations to life to create a magnificent and delicious dish! Celebrity UK Iron Chef Judy Joo is a familiar face at the festival, often teaching master classes and serving as a judge for competitions. 

While you’re enjoying the delightful mangoes the island has to offer, you can experience the lively and energetic Nevis Culturama. Culturama is another amazing event taking place during the month of July, embracing all the fantastic aspects of Nevisian culture. There are different activities such as beauty contests, parades and street fairs scheduled throughout the entire month. The event acts to commemorate the emancipation of slaves during the 1830s and celebrate the rich Caribbean culture of the island. 

The vibrant culture of Nevis mixed with a bountiful amount of fresh mangoes is the perfect blend for creating unforgettable memories. The month of July acts as a symbol of creativity and cuisine, with visitors getting the unique experience of celebrating the history of Nevis while satisfying their cravings with a healthy delicious snack. With all these amazing opportunities plus gorgeous beaches, visiting Nevis is what we call a win-win scenario!

Mango Pie recipe

Pastry: 2 cups all purpose flour; ¼ cup granulated sugar; ¾ cup chilled butter, cut in cubes; 1 medium-sized egg, lightly beaten;

Filling:  1 package (250 g) cream cheese; 1 cup granulated sugar; ½ tsp. vanilla; 2 eggs;

2 mangoes, pitted and coarsely chopped;

Garnish:       Chopped walnuts; Whipped cream

Directions:        To make pastry, in a large bowl, sift together flour and sugar.  Using knives or pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Stir in egg and blend until well combined.  Shape dough into a ball and knead lightly with heel of hand to evenly distribute butter.  Reshape into ball, dust lightly with flour and wrap loosely in waxed paper.  Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/8” thickness.  Drape it over a rolling pin and transfer to a 10” fluted flan tin with removable bottom.  Lay dough over flan tin, being careful not to stretch it.  With tips of fingers, push in corners; squeeze a lip around inside of flan ring, working dough between thumb and forefinger.  Roll rolling pin across top of ring to trim off excess dough.  Reform the edge and crimp.

Prick shell bottom with fork and line with foil paper.  Fill with thick layer of rice, dried beans or baking weights and bake in lower third of 400 F oven 10 to 15 minutes, or until slightly golden in colour.  Remove rice and foil.  Place on wire rack to cool.

To make filling, combine all ingredients in bowl of food processor and puree.  Pour mixture into baked pie shell and bake at 375F for 20 minutes or until top sets around edges.  Let cool.  Remove tart from fluted ring.

Sprinkle top with walnuts and serve with whipped cream.  Makes 10 servings.