At a party in Melbourne hosted by a cricket mate we celebrate this summery delight of a fruit that transcends borders

I was grabbing my post-workout shake from a juice shop when the lady behind the counter announced, to the delight of everyone, that mangoes were due to arrive soon. I was already surprised to see this place open late in suburban Melbourne – the joy of the crowd intrigued me even more.

The following week, I saw boxes of mangoes selling like hotcakes at a price I hesitated to pay. I had a lifelong privilege of enjoying the finest of them back in Pakistan at a much cheaper rate. I asked the lady if they were indeed “chaunsa” mangoes – the ultra-sweet aromatic variety from Pakistan. She checked the labels, replied, “Yes, they are,” and passed one to me – knowing that they are impossible to resist.

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