A few years ago, in a great “locals” restaurant in Cozumel, Mexico, a waiter insisted that we try avocado pie. Avocado pie!? Well, what seemed beyond strange to a bunch of Americans is normal in Mexico. Needless to say, we became believers and never again looked at an avocado the same way. An avocado is a fruit so it makes perfect sense that many cultures use it for sweet creations.

In Brazil & Vietnam, avocados are frequently used for milk-shakes and mashed and added to ice cream. In the Philippines, a dessert drink is made with sugar, milk, and pureed avocado.

A New Zealand recipe for avocado ice cream is a blend of avocado, lemon juice, orange juice, grated orange rind, milk, cream, sugar and salt, frozen, beaten until creamy, and frozen again. Many people prefer avocado sweetened with sugar, combined with fruits such as pineapple, orange, grapefruit, dates, or banana.

In tropical America, avocados are halved, sprinkled with salt and eaten with tortillas—as a complete meal. The most widespread use of the avocado in the US has been in making Mexican guacamole, a blend of the pureed flesh with lime juice, onions, minced garlic, chili powder or Tabasco sauce, etc. This dip has become an American staple. Avocados are also served as salad vegetables, halved and garnished with seasonings, lime juice, lemon juice, vinegar, mayonnaise or other dressings. The halves are often stuffed with shrimp, crab or other seafood. Avocado flesh may be sliced or diced and combined with tomatoes, cucumbers or other vegetables and served as a salad. The seasoned flesh is sometimes used as a sandwich filling. Avocado, cream cheese can be combine to make a spread or simply spread the ripe flesh onto toast (with salt & pepper) as you would butter.

Because of its tannin content, the flesh becomes bitter if cooked. Chunks of avocado may be added to hot foods such as soup, stew, chili or omelet's just before serving. In Guatemalan restaurants, a ripe avocado is placed on the table when a hot dish is served and the diner scoops out the flesh and adds it just before eating. For breakfast, avocado halves are warmed in an oven at low heat, then topped with scrambled eggs and anchovies. Very lightly grilled avocado halves are delicious topped with a cilantro dressing.

Avocados seem almost too luscious to be healthful, but the fat they contain (and there's quite a bit) is highly monounsaturated, the kind that's associated with a healthy heart. Avocados are also rich in vitamin E, another heart helper. Although the banana is thought of as an exemplary potassium source, the avocado actually supplies 60% more potassium, ounce for ounce. These velvety "vegetable fruits" are high in fiber, and provide substantial amounts of folate (folic acid), vitamin B6, and pantothenic acid, as well as some iron, copper, and magnesium. They contain glutathione, an antioxidant with anti-carcinogenic potential & significant amount of a cholesterol-lowering phytosterol called beta-sitosterol.

Two dozen avocado varieties are grown in California and Florida, ranging in size from a few ounces to several pounds, with skins bright green to black, some smooth, some pebbly in texture. The California varieties, which are more widely available nationwide, are considerably higher in fat (and thus "creamier" and more flavorful). The most popular California avocado is the Haas, which weighs about half a pound and has a pebbly black skin when ripe. The Fuerte, also from California, can weigh up to pound, and has a more pronounced pear shape and a smooth, dark-green skin.

Florida avocados are larger than most California varieties; they have shiny, medium-green skins, and are more watery than California types. Therefore, ounce for ounce, they contain less fat (but less flavor).

Select heavy, unblemished avocados. Many markets sell avocados that are hard and unripe, because they're less likely to bruise and spoil. If an avocado yields slightly to gentle pressure, it is ripe enough to slice. If pressing the fruit leaves a small dent, it is too ripe to slice, but is suitable for mashing. If pressing leaves a large dent, the fruit is overripe, and the flesh will have darkened and spoiled.

To pit an avocado, cut it lengthwise all the way around (working around the pit) and gently twist the two halves apart. Tap the blade of a heavy knife into the pit, and twist gently to release the pit from the flesh. To skin and slice the fruit, place the halves face down and peel off the skin. (If the flesh is very soft, scoop it out of the skin with a spoon instead.) If the skin is too tough to peel easily, use a paring knife to score it into peelable strips. Cut the flesh into thin slices, or chop into chunks.

The flesh of cut avocado turns dark within a few minutes when exposed to air. This doesn't affect nutrition or flavor, but makes the avocado look less appetizing. To delay darkening, rub slices with lemon or lime juice, and add the juice to mashed avocado when making guacamole or similar dips. Pressing plastic wrap firmly over the cut surface of a halved avocado, or onto the surface of a bowl of mashed avocado, will deter darkening.

So now you have all the facts to no longer associate avocado with the ugly ‘60s fridge, your new word association will be YUMMMM!

Here’s a few resources to fulfill your new avocado cravings!

• Pacifica Culinaria - Mayan pearl fresh Avocados, Infused avocado oils with natural flavors such as blood orange and roasted garlic. Great avocado recipes, especially the avocado key lime tarts!
• Local Harvest – A food411 favorite resource, they offer wonderful California Hass avocados grown on a hillside in northern San Diego County. They receive only the best sunshine, water and natural fertilizers. Once hand-picked, they are immediately hand-packed & shipped to you. Each avocado weighs about 1/2 Lb and is blemish-free. This ranch supports a ministry to adult men who are developmentally challenged. These men assist in the picking and packing of each shipment. Local Harvest also sells avocado facial soap!
• Avocado of the Month Club – The advantage here is that you get fruit that is allowed to ripen at their normal rate. This results in an avocado that is evenly ripe throughout, without black spots or stringy veins. You get to taste the true flavor of each fruit. They are shipped directly from the grower the same day they are picked!
• Olivado - Avocado Oil, extra vrigin, cold-pressed oil extracted from the avocado. Great for salad dressing , drizzling or an excellent cooking oil – extremely healthy product.
  
• Search avocado recipes at Avocado.org
• Make the 1st place Guacamole Recipe from the 2005 Annual California Avocado Festival

  5 Avocados
  1 Large tomato, diced
  ½ Large onion, Diced
  ½ Can diced chillies
  ½ Bunch cilantro, chopped
  Serano chilli sauce to taste
  Garlic salt to taste
  2 Tbsp lemon juice
  
  
  Mix and season to taste.
  
  By: Gayle Bamber of Fallbrook, CA