Guatemalan Fruits: Mangostín

Here are your Spanish words of the day: Mangostán, mangostino, mangostín and mangosto are variations for Mangosteen.

The Times They Are A-Changin’ —Bob Dylan

A few years ago I shared a post about salty granizadas [shaved ice] and many Guatemalans living abroad complained that when they grew up in Guatemala they never knew about salty granizadas. Well, the same thing can be said about all the exotic fruits and vegetables now grown in Guatemala, such as lichas [rambutan], mangostín [mangosteen], et cetera.

Of course, there are reasons for the presence of these exotic Asian fruits in Guatemala; sort of cause and effect reasons. I remember reading that one reason for the plantation and exportation of exotic fruits from Guatemala are the Asian communities living in the United States and Canada who are looking for less expensive tasteful fruits and vegetables. Guatemala has two things going for it: great volcanic fertile soil and near-by location. As always, I am sure the truth is so much complex than that, but at present, we are benefiting with a large selection of exotic fruits being grown locally.