Avocado

 Avocado, an excelent fruit associated with lush, good taste and native to the tropics is not any more just everyday tropical luxury. Avocados' rich, buttery texture and mild, nut-like flavor has made them popular in Latin American cuisine for hundreds of years. While Latinos are generous with their use of avocados due to their culinary heritage, North Americans have lagged behind in their use.
Avocados are rich in taste and nutrition and one of nature's most nutrient-dense foods. They're cholesterol-free, sodium-free, low in saturated fat and loaded with dietary fiber, vitamins B6, C, E and potassium. Avocados also contain lutein and phytochemicals which are natural plant nutrients that help protect against a variety of cancers and diseases. Avocado is high in fat, but fat in avocados is the healthful, monounsaturated variety, shown to reduce cholesterol levels and helps to decrease the risk of heart disease and stroke and one more reason to enjoy healthy avocados, on a daily basis!

There are several varieties of avocados, but the three most common are the bright green, thin skinned Fuerte, which is the same size as a pear; the Haas, which is shaped like a pear and has dark purplish green skin and pebbly surface; and the Florida avocado, which is large, and round fruit with a medium green skin that is frequently dimpled. They are all equally delicious, but many cook develop a preference for one type over the others.

Avocados ripen only after they are picked, so most of those found on shelves are as hard as rocks. A ripe avocado will yield slightly to gentle pressure.

When shopping, look for avocados with an even, unblemished texture, that are uniformly hard or soft over their entire surface and feel heavy for their size. Avoid any avocado with hollows or bruises between the flesh and skin.

Hard avocados can be ripened by placing them in a brown paper bag. Close the bag and set it in a cool spot for three to four days. Some varietis often develop brown patches as they ripen. This is just an indication that the avocado is almost ripe.

Ripe avocado will keep in the refrigerator for two to three days. In general, you should serve avocados as soon as possible after cutting them, because once avocado becomes exposed to the air, it will immediately start to turn brown. Sprinkling citrus juice or vinegar over it will retard this process.

We will show you here how easy it is to take that fruit native to the tropics and create some very extravagant and delicious additions to your everyday menu with ease and simplicity.


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Did You Know?
To slice avocado, start by cutting avocado lengthwise around the seed, than rotate the halves to separate.
Remove the seed by gently sliding the tip of a spoon underneath it and lifting it out.
You could peel the avocado by placing the cut side down and removing the skin with your fingers or a knife or just simply scoop the flesh out with a spoon.
Summer cold soups could also benefit from enrichment with avocado pulp, which adds body, texture and a smooth silky mouth feel.
Supposedly the avocado was first eaten in 291 B.C. in Mexico by a Mayan princess who believed it held mystical and magical powers. The Aztecs believed it was and dubbed it ahuacatl (meaning testicle), probably referring to the fruit's shape and the way it hangs from the tree in pairs.

Bursting with flavor!
Avocado pulp combined with lemon or lime juice and salt makes a wonderful avocado butter. It can be used as a sandwich spread, canapé base or filling ingredient.

Never freeze a whole or cut avocado, only avocado puree
may be frozen. Even though there are many recipes that call
for cooking avocados, the peak flavor, beneficial nutrients, and proper texture can only be found in the raw fruit.