The Avocado Experience

When picking an avocado, it is best to buy avocados when they are hard unless you want ripe ones. To know if an avocado is ripe, push only on the skin at the top of the avocado as handling the avocado can bruise it especially when so many others have touched them.  If you wait to use avocados when they are soft all over, then they are past its prime.

At the bottom of this post is a recipe for guacamole.  This is a very basic recipe for guacamole; it is the only way I make it, and the way many others in my family make it. Personally, I do not think adding onions and tomatoes or anything else, other than what is listed in the recipe below, adds to the delicious flavor of an avocado.  Once you combine onions and tomatoes in guacamole and leftovers of it go in the refrigerator, it changes the flavor & the consistency of the guacamole. I don’t know about you, but I want to taste the avocado and the ingredients that enhance that flavor. When you add onion and tomato, you taste those flavors more and they become a watery consistency that does not enhance the avocado. If you like tomatoes and onions in it, make sure that all of your ingredients are fresh and ripe and make sure there are no leftovers of the guacamole. If you do have leftovers of it, drain the liquid off. You will want to do that before and after taking it out of the refrigerator as the cooling agent from being in the refrigerator does make it become watery. Cooking or making anything with food should be to enhance the flavors of what you are making.

When entertaining and serving guacamole, you will want to use the below recipe.  Many people do not like onions, tomatoes, garlic, or cilantro in guacamole, but some people don’t like avocados. Some people are allergic to some of these ingredients and allergic to other food, so make sure of others’ food sensitivities & likes.  We all do not like the same foods, and it is important to be aware of others who have food sensitivities or allergies.

If you have leftovers of the below recipe:  In order for it not to turn brown, put it in a shallow bowl or a small jar and put saran wrap over it and press it down over the guacamole, making sure no air will get to it.  Get a big enough piece of saran wrap so it covers up and over the lip of the bowl. Press down gently to get the bubbles of the saran wrap out, yet cover the guacamole.  Another good tip to do is to add just a dab of hot sauce by the guacamole (when I say hot sauce I mean the cooked kind you buy in a store or the kind served to you when you go to a Mexican restaurant. I do not mean Pico de Gallo or Tabasco sauce.), on top of the guacamole or make a hole in the center of the guacamole and add the hot sauce there; this too helps the guacamole from turning brown.  Do not mix the hot sauce and the guacamole together before putting in the refrigerator; this will rapidly change the flavor & the consistency of the guacamole.  I suggest mixing it together before using the guacamole again or remove the hot sauce.  When there is not much guacamole left, I leave the hot sauce in it, add a dab of sour cream or plain yogurt, and mix it together in order to eat it.

Ways to keep avocados longer:  You can refrigerate an avocado when it is ready to eat and prolong its life by 5 to 7 days.  Also, cut an avocado in half and remove the seed. Wrap in saran wrap (a vacuum sealer is the best option if you have one) then place into a freezer safe container or bag.  You can freeze several at one time.  The avocados will keep for at least 3 months.  I have tried this, but have yet to find out how to stop the avocado from turning brown once you remove it from the freezer.  If I find a way to do that, I will be sure to update this post. If you are using half an avocado, then use the side of the avocado where the pit isn’t there.  Keep the pit in the other side, and put the empty skin on top of it (as if it is a whole avocado) and then wrap in Saran Wrap.

Two more tips: In order to get more juice out of a lime (or lemon), roll it around in your hands or on the counter putting a little pressure on the lime but not too hard, or zap it in the microwave for 10 seconds on high.  This action releases the juice.  You can use lemon instead of lime, but the sweetness of the lime enhances the avocado.

 

Guacamole

1 lime, squeezed, remove any seeds if it has any.

1 avocado cut in half and then in quarters; make sure to remove any brown, dark spots & the pit.  All you want is the green portion of the avocado.

1 garlic clove (1 medium size or 2 small cloves) minced or through a garlic press – this ingredient can be optional

Salt to taste

Smash garlic and add a little salt (about ¼ tsp) with a fork in a small bowl.  Add avocado and lime juice and smash together with other ingredients.   Do a taste test and see if it is to your liking.  If not, may need to add more salt or lime juice.

Photo notes: photo found on Internet