Mangoes are a tropical fruit that’s juicy and sweet. Although they are native to Southeast Asia, most grocery store mangoes in the U.S. are grown in Florida, California, and Mexico. Mango connoisseurs claim that Alphonso mangos imported from India are the sweetest, but Ataulfo mangoes (aka “honey mangoes” or “champagne mangoes”) are cheaper and more readily available. Both are yellow and smaller than the more common Tommy Atkins mangoes . In the U.S., peak season for mangoes runs from May through September. This very popular seasonal Thai dessert makes use of fresh ripe mangos made sweeter when topped with a coconut sauce (also see video ). This video will show you the basic steps in about two minutes (turn on the helpful closed-caption subtitles). The full recipe will take about 10 minutes to make. We will be making this easy recipe together at my upcoming Thai Night Market cooking class on June 5, along with three other Thai dishes. Full menu and details are here: www.c...

As part of our Czech pop-up dinner event next week, I made this delicious honey cake for dessert. A throwback to the Soviet era, this very popular treat is available at almost all Czech restaurants and coffee shops during the Christmas season. Although this cake is fairly easy to make, the process does take three days. So plan ahead! On day 1, you'll want to make the caramel cream filling. Because you're boiling a can of condensed milk, it is recommended that you chill the unopened can in the refrigerator overnight. This way, you won't risk burning yourself when you open the can the next day. On day 2, you'll make the cake itself, but you should let it sit overnight in the refrigerator so that the flavors meld together as the wet cream filling moistens the sponge cake layers. It'll be so much better the next day! You can serve the cake on day 3, but be sure to let it sit out for an hour or so before dessert time. Since there is a lot of butter in the cream f...