The first note is marvelous mango. Ambrosial and fragrant, the tropical fruit’s honeylike sweetness is tempered by a subtle tang. Each taste is a creamy reprieve — part smoothie, part sundae. Soon, intrigue teases the tongue. A zesty burst, a saltiness settles in, then jets of chile heat begin to prickle. The mangonada is working its magic.
“It’s sweet, salty, and tangy all mixed into one,” says David Bermudez, who opened Cathedral City’s La Michoacana Ice Cream Parlor in 2016. Calling the mangonada a desert obsession would be an understatement, according to Bermudez, who notes that the icy treat is one of the most beloved options on his menu. “That’s our signature item,” he declares. “It’s very nostalgic, very near and dear to the heart.”
The frozen concoction has long been a staple of Mexico’s summer tableau. In recent decades, the popularity of the mangonada has reached the United States, finding a natural home in the desert climes of places like the Coachella Valley. Depending on who’s making it, the mangonada receives various treatments. Typically, the base remains largely the same: fresh mangoes blended with ice and sugar into a sorbet that’s layered with streaks of Tajín and chamoy, which provide sour, savoriness, and spice.
When it comes to condiments, Tajín is in the same pantheon of Heinz ketchup or Hellman’s mayonnaise. A brand originally founded in Guadalajara, Tajín combines granulated chiles with salt and dehydrated lime into a tart, fiery powder used to punch up the flavor of everything from fresh fruit and spicy-margarita rims to soups and meat marinades.
