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Avocado Believe it or not, avocados are in season in winter and widely available in markets. If you're not familiar with avocados, you're missing a rich treat. I have been eating avocado everyday. All my 3 kids love it, too. Read on for information on history, usage, and benefits of avocados. And, don't miss the avocado recipes, from soup to ... yes ... desserts!

Avocados are used not only in salads and the ever popular guacamole, but also in breads, desserts, main dishes and non-culinary creams for facials and body massages. The Taiwanese eat avocados with milk and sugar, Indonesians mix them with milk, coffee and rum for a cold libation, and the Filipinos puree them with sugar and milk to make a dessert drink. Even the avocado tree leaves are used in some parts of Mexico. Both green and dried leaves can be used for wrapping tamales, or seasoning for barbecues and stews. Dried leaves will keep for several months on a tightly-closed container.

The avocado is widely considered a vegetable, since it is commonly used in salads. However, it is actually a fruit that tastes like a vegetable, and most markets display it with other typical fruits. In some areas, it is known as the avocado pear and also the alligator pear due to the pebbly, rough exterior of one of the common types. There are quite a few varieties of avocados, but most cooks develop a preference for a particular breed. The fruit is harvested from tall trees, which grow in groves. The rich, pale yellow-green flesh of the pear-shaped fruit has a texture likened to a firm ripe banana, smooth and buttery, with a faintly nutty flavor. Most are grown in tropical climates, primarily in Mexico, California, Hawaii, and Florida.

Avocado varieties
The fruit is primarily pear-shaped, but some varieties are also almost round. They can weigh from 1 ounce to up to 4 pounds each. Avocaditos are a cocktail-sized version of the avocado that are about the size of a small gherkin, weighing only about an ounce. The most common types are: Bacon, Fuerte, Gwen, Hass, Pinkerton, Reed, and Zutano, with many chefs having a particular preference for the Hass variety. Although the prime season for avocados is late winter/early spring, they are readily available in markets year-round.

Avocado history

The avocado (Persea gratissima or P. americana) gets its name from the Latin American Nahuatl ahuacatl meaning "testicle," referring to its shape. It was discovered in Mexico approximately 291 B.C. The Spanish brought it to the English. The more easily-pronouced "avocado" is attributed to Sir Henry Sloane in 1669. The word itself first appeared in print in the 17th century, and then in America in 1697. The early Spanish explorers discovered the Aztecs enjoying avocados, but it was long considered a tasteless food. The Aztecs also used avocados as a sexual stimulant. The first Florida crops are credited to horticulturist Henry Perrine who planted groves in 1833. Avocados did not become a commercial crop until the early 1900s. Still, except in California, Florida and Hawaii where they were grown, most consumers shied away from the fruit. Finally, in the 1950s it became popular as a salad item, and consumption became more widespread. In 1995, 40.9% of American households consumed avocados.

Choosing an avocado and keeping it from turning brown

Avocado selection and storage

Like most fruits, avocados do not ripen until picked, so fresh ones will be as hard as rocks. Look for an even unblemished texture, uniformly hard or soft over its entire surface and those that feel heavy for their size. Avoid any with bruises or soft spots, and those with a hollow between the flesh and skin. Shake the avocado to test...if the pit is loose, move on to the next one. The flesh of ripe fruits will yield when pressed gently. However, ripe fruits bruise easily with excessive handling in the markets, so it's best to ripen your own at home. Of course, this means proper planning, giving yourself 2-5 days in advance to insure they are ripe for your use.

To ripen, place the avocado(s) in a brown paper bag and store at room temperature for 2-5 days, away from direct sunlight. The addition of an apple or banana to the bag will hasten the ripening process. Do not store unripened fruit in the refrigerator. After being chilled, they will never ripen properly. Once ripe, they can be stored in the refrigerator, unpeeled, for up to two weeks.

The flesh of the avocado quickly begins to darken when exposed to the air, so it's important to work quickly with the meat once the avocado is cut. The addition of an acidic, usually lemon, retards the darkening process.

To get to the avocado meat, slice it lengthwise all the way around to the pit. Then gently twist each side in an opposite direction to separate halves. The pit should remain in one side. Slip a large spoon in between the skin and the meat and scoop out the tender flesh or peel and slice. Sprinkle pieces with lemon juice to retard browning or mix in 2 teaspoons of lemon juice to each cup of mashed avocado. Wrap tightly to store in refrigerator for one to two days. If you need to prepare peeled avocados a few hours in advance, wrap the pieces in paper towels soaked in lemon juice and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. If darkening does occur, simply gently scrape or cut off the discolored area.

To freeze avocado, puree flesh with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice per 2 avocados, and place in a tightly-closed container with the air removed. Frozen avocado can be kept three to six months at 0 degrees F.

Avocado health benefits

Avocados are a good source of Vitamin E, which is not only essential for the normal functioning of the body but is also a potent anti-oxidant which protects polyunsaturated fatty acids in cell membranes from free-radical attack. Free-radicals are linked to the beginnings of cancer and heart disease. Avocados also contain goodly amounts of Vitamin C (necessary for the production of collagen needed for the growth of new cells and tissues, prevents viruses from penetrating cell membranes, and also a powerful anti-oxidant), thiamine (converts carbohydrates to glucose to fuel the brain and nervous system), and riboflavin (helps the body to release energy from proteins, carbohydrates and fat).

It's true that avocados do have a high fat content, but it is monounsaturated fat, which some studies show to actually help reduce cholesterol. The avocado is also low in calories.

Avocado is also an excellent remedy for dry skin. Rub the inside of the skins against clean skin. For a face mask, mix 1/4 cup each of avocado puree and sour cream. Gently rub on face and neck, avoiding the sensitive areas around the eyes, and let it soak in about 15 minutes. Rinse with tepid water. Then gently massage the invisible oil into the skin with an upward and outward motion.

By the numbers, California is the number one producer of avocados in the United States, supplying 95% of the nation's crop, with 85% of the crop being of the Hass variety. Mexico is the world's leading producer of avocados, serving up over 718,000 tons in 1994, more than the combined totals of the next seven producers in the world. In 1992, Americans ate 620 million avocados............................................................ .Next Page