• Since it’s Earth Day we thought we’d bring you something green. Ladies and gentlemen may I present: the avocado!
• The avocado as we know it was originally called ahuacate, the Aztec word for testicle (named for its shape and reputation as an aphrodisiac). After rejecting its common name, Alligator pear, California farmers eventually settled on a more pronounceable and agreeable nomenclature: avocado. Americans continued to, well, Americanize both sushi and the avocado by creating The California Roll.
• The most popular avocados in the United States (accounting for approximately 95% of the total crop volume) are decedents from a mother tree who succumbed to root fungus in 2002 after living a long and healthy life for 76 years. The variety was named after postal worker-turned-avocado grower Rudolph Hass.
• Animal, Vegetable or Mineral? Avocados are considered fruit, are harvested by hand and are “Green on the Outside, Green on the Inside” (apropos for Earth Day!) But that does not mean they are exempt from black market exploits or usage as weaponry.
• Fix up a nice bowl of guac and take a gander at Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death, a film starring Bill Maher and filmed in the avocado groves maintained by the University of California at Riverside where they conduct horticultural experiments. Best part? The movie’s keywords: Piranha. Feminist. Avocado.
• Ask not what you can do for your avocado, but what your avocado can do for you: For one, they are known as a home remedy for halitosis, and may even fight against liver damage.
• Avocado consumption in the US supposedly increases dramatically for the Super Bowl (well, some would disagree). Regardless, if you are having trouble finding some of this great green fruit you can train your friendly neighborhood rat to help you.
• Speaking of, probably the most popular incarnation of avocado usage is guacamole. Guns ‘n Roses even included it as a backstage requirement (along with porn and cigarettes).
How do you Flossers consume your avocado? Any special recipes or uses to share?
Hungry for more? Venture into the Dietribes archive.
‘Dietribes’ appears every other Wednesday. Food photos taken by Johanna Beyenbach. You might remember that name from our post about her colorful diet.
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I was recently in Cozumel and went to the Hard Rock Café there. They have a guacamole cart guy who will make it fresh right in front of your eyes. It is the best I have ever had! YUMMY!!!
posted by Jennifer on 4-22-2009 at 12:39 pm
My boyfriend and I make grilled chicken topped with cilantro, artichoke hearts, cheese and of course, avocado. Dice up some raw tomatoes and onions and surround the chicken with it. Then enjoy :) It’s easy to make and is really delicious :)
We *Heart* Avocados!
posted by Mor on 4-22-2009 at 12:43 pm
Mangesh and I have a go-to eatery when co-workers are in New York. It’s called Dos Caminos (there are a few locations) and we chose it specifically for the made-at-your-table guacamole.
When’s your next trip north?
posted by Jason English on 4-22-2009 at 12:45 pm
I don’t want to pimp any brands, but Wholly Guacamole is really good (esp the Organic one). It only has 4 ingredients, all natural, and tastes more or less like how I make my own! It’s good when you don’t want to have to go to the trouble … and avocados are expensive these days (!)
posted by Allison Keene on 4-22-2009 at 12:46 pm
Has there been any success at a “seedless” avacado? The big nut in the middle seems like such a waste!
posted by RobertSeattle on 4-22-2009 at 12:46 pm
Jason mark it down, when I come to NY (not sure when … this summer?) we are definitely going there!
posted by Allison Keene on 4-22-2009 at 12:48 pm
tomatos, cuecumber and avacado slices tossed with a lemon garlic vinegrette…amazing!!
posted by D-Funk on 4-22-2009 at 12:48 pm
Avocado shakes, made with banana, milk, sugar, and ice, are popular in the Philippines and very tasty.
posted by Miss Marie on 4-22-2009 at 1:25 pm
Avocado and salsa. It looks kind of nasty after a while (just the color) but it’s delicious. I try to do half and half, but I create by taste. :)
posted by Kate on 4-22-2009 at 1:50 pm
Allison, I agree. I only use Wholly Guacamole – I’ll go out of my way to get it.
I think they were actually featured on Unwrapped once.
posted by Leah on 4-22-2009 at 1:52 pm
I agree with Marie (though I’ve never made avocado shakes with banana). Across southern Asia, avocados are commonly considered material for desserts, not savoury foods as in the West.
Here’s my recipe for avocado milkshake. Try it, you may be disgusted by the idea but I guarantee you’ll like it.
1 cup milk
1 ripe avocado (pick one that is fairly young and firm, with no brown spots in the flesh)
3 tablespoons honey, other natural sweetener, or sugar
1/4 – 1/2 tsp vanilla essence (optional)
additional milk
5 or 6 ice cubes
Put 1 cup milk in blender. Cut avocado in half. Remove pit and scoop flesh into blender. Add honey or sugar and vanilla, if desired. Blend till smooth. Add ice cubes and enough additional milk to make the thickness to your taste. Pour into a (big) cup and serve. Easiest to drink with a straw.
posted by Susanna on 4-22-2009 at 1:56 pm
I hang in my head in shame…I have never had an avacado.
posted by beth on 4-22-2009 at 2:10 pm
My drunken guacamole is just an avocado, lemon and lime juice, salt, paprika and chile powder.
For the first three months that someone I know was pregnant, she could only stomach avocados filled with mayonnaise, salt and Tabasco sauce. Amazingly, she still likes them.
posted by MIchelle on 4-22-2009 at 2:18 pm
Cut in half length-wise. Remove seed.
Apply salt and lots of ground black pepper.
Fill seed pit with red wine vinegar.
Eat by scooping out bits with a spoon, aiming to ration the vinegar so that none is left by the time the avocado flesh is gone.
Repeat with other half.
posted by Chris on 4-22-2009 at 2:52 pm
The Vegetarian Times recipe for Avocado Chimichuri Bruschetta is out of this world! You can find the recipe in their web archives. My bf and I duel over the last bits of it.
posted by vegebrarian on 4-22-2009 at 3:00 pm
Avacado Amore Sandwich:
-two heafty slices of Italian bread
-Mayonaise on both slices
-sliced cherry tomatoes
-thinly sliced skinless Salame
-Fontina Cheese (Not into cheese? Drizzle on Balsamic Vinegar instead!)
-Rucola (AKA Rocket) greens
-A good helping of avacado
Form a sandwich. Eat with Kettle Chips of the Salt and Balsamic Vinegar variety. I also recommend a tall glass of iced tea with mint, no lemon.
posted by Kate on 4-22-2009 at 4:29 pm
Grilled cheese with avocado slices! sprinkle the slices wiht a little garlci salt and pepper.
It will change the way you think of Grilled cheese!
posted by teo on 4-22-2009 at 5:08 pm
Avocado pie! No, don’t freak out. It’s sublimely creamy and delicious. You’ll never know it’s avocado!
posted by loripop on 4-22-2009 at 5:28 pm
I’ve been craving avocado for two weeks, and now you post this story! I found a killer guacamole recipe on Allrecipes.com, posted by Bob Cody. If you type “guacamole” into the search engine and request that it list the results by rating, it’s the first recipe that comes up. *dashes to store for ingredients*
@ vegebrarian: Solely on the basis of your screen name, I adore you. (I’m a vegetarian Anthropologist and a rabid bibliophile). Thanks for cluing me in to the Vegetarian Times!
posted by Valkyrie on 4-22-2009 at 7:28 pm
The last time I was in Austin, TX I had a wonderful avocado margarita. It was delicious, like a healthy, satisfying, alcoholic snack. YUM!
posted by redbeki on 4-22-2009 at 9:05 pm
should you ever have a bit of guac leftover (does that ever actually happen?) or you’re waiting on a tardy guest, try placing the seed back into the middle of the salad with roughly half of the seed exposed. it will slow the browning process alot.
bacon and avocado on toasted wheat bread with purple onion, tomato and lettuce – oh yeah !
posted by el on 4-23-2009 at 2:10 am
Sometimes I just slice an avocado and serve it over greens, drizzled with vinaigrette.
As for guac, when I’m motivated I make it with jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, salt, a little minced onion, and a clove or two of crushed garlic.
However, my laziness has led me to simplify my guac recipe down to the essentials. For one person, I halve an avocado mash one half with a fork, add the juice of half a lime and a good pinch of kosher salt.
Then I cut some lines in the second half (criss cross), spoon out the chunks, mix it with the other ingredients until just combined (and chunks remain). Taste, add more salt or lime juice, if needed, and serve. Takes about 3-4 minutes, and minimal cleanup.
posted by Chris on 4-23-2009 at 9:54 am
Anytime you’ve got anykind of avacado going in a recipe – the instant you slice that puppy open enzymatic action is working against you, thus turning your green into a dismal brown. You can prevent this by tossing the avacado (or blending in) lemon or lime juice. The citric acid significantly slows the dreaded browning and will keep your avacado it’s lovely shade of green.
Avacados can also be substituted for just about any recipe where eggs are used for their fat value rather than materiel value (e.g. sauces and frosting). It makes for a great Incredible Hulk cake or other such green landscape. One avacado = One egg, do take into account volume though when calculating your recipe.
You can also use this formula to make avacado ice cream by substituting in the avacado for eggs. I have yet to try it, but it sounds wicked good on a hot day.
posted by Eric in MT on 4-23-2009 at 10:40 am
As usual, I’m late to the party…but check out Christine Lavin’s song “Piranha Women of the Avocado Jungle of Death,” written about that very movie because her great-aunt is in it. Hilarious. tinyurl.com/cs4s56
Also, I love sliced avocado on a turkey sandwich. And I could eat guac every single day and be happy.
posted by Jenny on 4-25-2009 at 1:21 pm