Mango and poison ivy are members of the same family. They both contain a substance called urushiol (yu-roosh'-ee-all) which causes those annoying blisters and itches in some people.

Mangoes contain much less urushiol. However, you could get a rash from a mango if you are very sensitive to poison ivy.

Don't stop eating mangoes and don't be afraid to try one - they are really good! If you have a weird rash on your mouth, though, be aware that like blogger Silent Rant you may be be able to say, "Hooray! It's not herpes!"

1. Salsa Verde - This salsa green from the little green tomatillos, which aren't just small, underripe tomatoes, though they are in the same family. This recipe for Tomatillo Salsa Verde is by Bruce Aidells and Nancy Oakes and is part of an entire meal of fish tacos.
2. Pico de Gallo - Pico de Gallo is a chunky "salsa" that has three basic diced ingredients: diced tomatoes, onions, and jalapeno, plus chopped cilantro. If you happen to be a fan of that baastion of Southwest cuisine, Applebee's, CDKitchen has the restaurant's recipe.
3. Farm Stand Salsa - Speaking of Applebee's, Tyler Florence (who is Applebees' spokemodel chef) has a recipe for a farm stand salsa that includes fresh vegetables fresh from the farm.
4. Cowboy Caviar - It looks like caviar, but it's really a spicy salsa made with beans. Over on AllRecipes.com, this recipe got over 1000 5-star reviews!
   
5. Roasted Tomato Salsa - eHow explains step-by-step how to make a basic Roasted Tomato Salsa.
6. Avocado Salsa - An avocado salsa isn't the same thing as guacamole. Suite 101 has a recipe for a spicy, creamy avocado salsa.
   
7. Mango, Avocado, and Shrimp Salsa - This could be a ceviche, but technically, the shrimp is steamed in water before adding to the salsa (in ceviche, the raw fish are usually "cooked" with lime or other citrus juice).
   
8. Black Bean Salsa -The Hot Sauce Blog has a recipe for Black Bean Salsa, but we love what it comes with, too -- cheese stuffed poblano peppers!
   

Del Monte's brand new Fruit Chillers line is sure to be a hit with both kids (and adults) this summer, even though it is a little on the cold side right now in most parts of the country. The Chillers are individual sorbet cups, but there are a couple of things that set them apart from the average individually portioned kids dessert. The first, and most important, thing is that they are made with real fruit purees, rather than concentrated juices that have artificial colorings and flavors added to them. In fact, there are no artificial flavors in them at all and they contain 100% of the recommended daily value of vitamin C (150% in the mango flavor) and 3/4 serving of fruit, based on the nutrition pyramid. The other interesting thing about these is that they are not found in the frozen foods section of the grocery store. They are packed sealed and unfrozen, so you can simply pop them in the freezer before you are ready to eat them. The Chillers are fat free and contain about 190 calories per 4.5-ounce serving.

The name "nutritional bioactive" is given to the unique components of fruits and vegetables that have particular health effects and study of these bioactives has been primarily directed at temperate, highly common fruits and vegetables (broccoli, etc). The researchers at Queensland have focused on tropical fruits, which is what led to their current findings.

Without getting a professional machine to keep in your kitchen, there are two main ways of making frozen yogurt. The first method involves making a mixture that is similar to an ice cream base, albeit much lower in fat than a full cream-and-eggs mixture, and churning it in an ice cream maker until the desired consistency is reached. The second method involves a literal translation, where the yogurt is mixed with fruit and frozen. Rianna, from For the Love of Baking, whipped up this Mango Frozen Yogurt using the latter technique and it is bursting with fruit and flavor. Mixing it with fruit is crucial, because yogurt does not usually react all that well to being frozen if you just pop a carton in to the freezer, and the more fruit you use, the better the final product will be. If you don't mind trying something a touch more time consuming, try going for the more traditional version instead.

Fruit tarts make a lovely, tasty dessert during the summer, in no small part because fresh fruit and berries are incredibly beautiful and the presentation is hard to beat. The fresh fruit choices for tarts don't have to be limited to raspberries and strawberries, as Fanny from Food Beam illustrates with her stunning Mango Tart, which was derived from Bill Granger's recipe in Sydney Food. The tart has a crumbly shortcrust base, almost like a shortbread biscuit, and is filled with a creamy, vanilla custard. The fresh, ripe mangoes are sliced into thin strips and layered on top, their flavor blending with the smooth custard and their texture contrasting nicely with the shell of the tart. Since the tart base can be prepared in advance, this is a relatively simple dessert that would make a lovely addition to any meal on a hot day. And if you can't resist using some more traditional berries, you can easily substitute them for the mango in this recipe.

Indira, who blogs at Mahanandi, makes many beautiful dishes, but her Strawberry Mango Scones really sparked my interest. Not only are the scones mouthwatering to look at, but the combination of fresh strawberries and mango sounds like it is too good to pass up. If you bake frequently, you know that having too many wet ingredients, like berries and other fruits, can make a dish soggy. Strawberries and mango are both fairly wet fruits and Indira averted any potential problems by pairing dried mango instead of fresh with the berries, adding mango flavor to the scones without compromising their crumbly, soft texture or crisp crust. She served them for dessert, but I can't help think that they would make an outstanding breakfast on a clear, summer morning. You can get her recipe here.

Maybe its a poor news day down under or maybe I am making light of a serious issue - hand injuries inflicted by avocado peelers!

It has been estimated that 15-20 people a year are treated for stab wounds after trying to stone the creamy-fleshed avocado. That's in Auckland alone. Injuries resulted from three types of stoning technique: stabbing, scooping underneath with a knife or trying to secure the stone by banging the blade into it and twisting. Spoons are a safer option apparently.

Celebrity cook Annabelle White advocates (sorry) the bang-and-twist method. Sharp knives were safer than blunt ones, which required more pressure. She recommends using a spoon on the fruit. I see even Anne has issues - oh but that's with Mangoes; similar I guess.