Avocados: It’s So Easy Eating Green

Ah, the avocado. Such a lovely, lovely food. It’s expensive, sure, but there are few things more satisfying than a perfectly ripe avocado. Native to southern Mexico, Central, and South America, avocado is derived from the Aztec word for testicles. Aztecs considered it to be an aphrodisiac and during the harvest virgin girls weren’t let out of the house lest they get too caught up in the spirit of things, run off and lose their virginity. The Haas variety, the most widely used in America today, emerged in the 1920’s. The Haas “mother” tree, which all Haas avocados descended from, died in 2002. The variety of seed that produced it is unknown.

Avocados are smooth, creamy, have a delicate flavor and are rich in healthy oils. And they are such a beautiful color! The walls in my bedroom are painted an avocado green and I find it to be very soothing. To open, slice all the way around the length with a sharp knife and scoop out the meat with a large table spoon. Save any unused portion in a ziploc bag and put in the refrigerator. Avocados are good eaten plain or with a little salt and pepper on. A popular use is in guacamole. Do not buy guacamole pre-made in the store! There is really no excuse for this. It will taste horrible and it is so easy to make yourself. Even I, she who does not cook, am quite handy with the guacamole making. I must say that a lot of people overwhelm their guacamole with other ingredients. Hold back on the lime juice especially, too much of this will mask the subtle flavor of the avocado. You need to let it shine. They are also popular halved and stuffed with crab or shrimp. So. Good. Avocados are great in pretty much any salad or sandwich, but what I find particularly interesting is their use in dessert. Here in the U.S. we seem stuck on the idea that they can only be used in savory dishes. This is not the case. Avocado’s mild yet distinctive flavor and creamy texture lend themselves well to both the sweet and the savory, and in several southeast Asian countries they are made into milkshakes and smoothies. For my last birthday I made chocolate cupcakes and topped them with an avocado frosting. It was easy to make and turned out buttery, unique, and delicious. It made quite a pretty contrast to the brown of the chocolate cake. You can learn how to make it here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_32238,00.html
This is a rare exception to my no recipes rule.

So I encourage you all to use a little variety and creativity when eating this special and versatile food. Viva la avocado!