Green Bell Peppers or Mangoes?

Is it a green bell pepper or a mango? Most people know the difference. But, that might been a different story to elderly Midwestern people! My mom was a native of Central Indiana, and one thing I managed to not figure out until later on was that green bell peppers are not really mangoes. In the Midwest of the USA, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Missouri, Kentucky, and Indiana in particular...many people call green bell peppers 'mangoes' because they were raised this way. A lot of the older generations call a green pepper a mango because they have been called mangoes for over 500 years. "Hey, Sweetie, please slice up this green mango for Granny, thanks, Hon!".

When is a Bell Pepper a Mango? Are mangoes a tropical fruit that grow on mango trees? Why and what do some people call green bell peppers as mangoes, especially older people? Both are actually called FRUIT but most refer to a pepper as a vegetable...let me solve that great green pepper vs mango Mango Tango mystery for you, or try anyway!

Real mangoes are a tropical fruit native to Central America, Southeast Asia and India. The mango name comes from the Tamil word “mankay,” and “mango” first appeared in English in the 16th century. They are now grown worldwide, and mangoes are known for their rare tangy sweet yummy flavor. The very first mangoes were imported into America from the East Indies in a pickled form because of the lack of high-speed transportation or refrigeration. Them being pickled instead of fresh is the key reason of why people call sweet pepper, mangoes. This is because people used “mango” as a general name for pickled dishes, no matter what the dish was made from. For example, in the late 1600s, there are original vintage cookbooks with recipes for “Mango Cucumbers”, “Mango of Walnuts”, "Mango Peppers", Etc. Later on, almost anything that could be pickled was called a mango, including apples, peaches, apricots, plums, grapes...anything pickled were considered mangoes. “Mango” was even a verb in the 17th century meaning “to pickle” or "to be pickled". One very popular American recipe using “mangoes” was a stuffing using bell peppers, spiced cabbage, and onions. These Recipes became so popular for such a long time, that green peppers became known as mangoes, even if not pickled! Therefore, now you know why the American Midwest today calls green bell peppers, even in the grocery stores. If you want to buy a green pepper and an actual mango fruit, the cashiers will call BOTH of them mangoes, for real! If you do not believe me, go visit a Midwestern U.S. state. Now, imagine a Indiana small town family moving to the Central American country of Costa Rica and learning that mangoes are REALLY a sweet delicious fruit, and that they call actual bell peppers "chiles". Lol This happened to my friend from Ohio...and, the native Costa Ricans were shocked when told that in the U.S. a chile (or chili) is a soup and that mangoes are green bell peppers! They even call Egg Plants (the vegetable) a weight loss medicine, not a food. I also heard that avocados used to be called "Alligator Pears" for many decades, which must be very confusing for somebody who never had seen one in person. Imagine that!

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled mango peppers;
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled mangoes,
where's the peck of pickled mango peppers Peter Piper picked? 🥭🫑

Well, just keep this rule of thumb in mind: If you are using a recipe from the pre-1960s Midwest, mangoes are peppers; and after the 1960s, mangoes are the fruit, mangoes. I actually have a collection of old cookbooks and there are many recipes that call for mangoes ... meaning green peppers actually lol, such as a recipe for pork pot roast that includes a green mango (green bell pepper). Also, if you are in the mid-western United States...do not be too surprised or disappointed if you see a vegetable/fruit stand with a sign that says "Fresh Mangoes For Sale" with a box of green peppers underneath instead. Culture is culture! 😜