Holiday Salsa — The Bright Mango Flavor That Made Our Sunday Feel Like Summer

The tomatoes are turning. One of them, the front one, has the first blush of orange on it, the beginning of the turn from green to red. I check it every morning and Liam checks from the window and I've been telling him the story of it—that tomatoes start green and become red, that the red means they're ready, that you wait and wait and then one day you can eat it. He's fifteen months. He doesn't have the full concept of patience yet. But he checks every morning and says "mato" and I say "almost" and we both accept the timeline.

Sixteen months in June. He's in full sentence territory—not long sentences, but three words, sometimes four, that express actual intent. "More pasta please" last Tuesday at dinner. He added "please" unprompted. Sean and I looked at each other across the table and Sean said "we taught him that" with the quiet satisfaction of a man who has realized a project is going well.

Priya is leaving in August. We had lunch on the roof twice this week and both times talked about Seattle versus Boston with the forced neutrality of two people who are going to miss each other and are being practical about it. She gave me a cookbook—Indian regional cooking, the kind with actual context about where the food comes from—and wrote in the front of it. I'm not reading what she wrote until she's gone because I want to have it then when I need it.

Grilled salmon with mango salsa on Sunday, summer food, everything bright. Liam ate the mango. Sean ate the salmon. I ate both. June in this apartment, in this neighborhood, this marriage. Fifteen months of Liam and counting.

That Sunday salmon dinner — the one where Liam ate all the mango and Sean ate all the fish and I happily ate everything — was carried almost entirely by the salsa. It’s the kind of bright, fruit-forward topping that makes a simple piece of grilled fish feel like an occasion, which is exactly what June in this apartment deserved. This Holiday Salsa is what I made alongside it: fresh, quick, a little sweet, a little sharp, and the kind of thing that tastes like paying attention to a good moment while you’re still in it.

Holiday Salsa

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 0 min | Total Time: 15 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh mango, diced small
• 1/2 cup fresh pineapple, diced small
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Prep the fruit and vegetables. Dice the mango and pineapple into small, uniform pieces so every bite has a balance of flavors. Finely dice the red bell pepper and red onion, and mince the jalapeño after removing the seeds (leave seeds in for more heat).
2. Combine. Add the mango, pineapple, red bell pepper, red onion, and jalapeño to a medium bowl. Toss gently to mix.
3. Season and dress. Add the chopped cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine, making sure the lime juice coats everything evenly.
4. Rest before serving. Let the salsa sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes so the flavors meld. Taste and adjust salt or lime as needed.
5. Serve. Spoon generously over grilled salmon fillets, grilled chicken, fish tacos, or enjoy as a dip with tortilla chips.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 38 | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0g | Carbs: 10g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 98mg