Fruit is everywhere in Mexico–sweet, colorful and refreshing. And it’s sold ripe, so the lush smell of tropical fruit is always in the air. We find Rick watching the famous Pineapple dance, in which the dancers shower the audience with fruit–a symbolic sharing of the riches of their village that says a lot about the role of fruit in Mexican culture. At home, he shows us his simple technique for making a quick, refreshing Mango, Jicama and Cucumber Salad that’s often served as a street snack. He prepares his version of the traditional Mango Agua Fresca, or “Mango-ade” tinged with crimson prickly pear juice. His daughter, Lanie, looks on, then carries the vat of agua fresca off triumphantly to sell at her lemonade stand! Then we’re off to Oaxaca for quick stop at the renowned Chaguita ice cream stand where you can find every imaginable ice cream flavor and a few you’d rather not imagine (pork rind?!). Back in his kitchen, Rick prepares an easy Mango Ice–rich and creamy but dairy-free–and a spectacular finale: Mango Flameado a gratin of sliced mangos, dramatically flambéed with tequila.
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