AVOCADO - HASS AVOCADO

• Common Name: Avocado
  
• Vernacular Name: Avocado pear, Alligator pear, Aguacate, Palta
  
• Scientific Name: Persea americana
  
• Specimens From: New Zealand
• Specimens Weight: 165 gm (Average weight per fruit)
  

Avocado, a very common fruit in North and South America as it is believed to be originated from Mexico. Back in the ancient time of the Aztec, they believed this fruit helped in fertility and thereby calling it "ahuacatl", meaning "testicle" because it shaped like one. What a name to begin with and an embarrassing one too. Since it is native to a Spanish-speaking country, the Spanish name, "aguacate" derives from it and in turn, the English name comes from the Spanish name. All the three names rhyme somehow, don't they? Up to today, Mexico is still the top producing country in the world, with the runners-up a far cry away.

Avocado is usually divided into three types, namely "Guatemalan, Mexican, West Indian". And under each race, there are several cultivars. This particular cultivar, Hass, is a hybrid between Guatemalan and Mexican race. And most of the time, we end up eating this Hass variety as it is available almost everywhere since most of the production are of this cultivar.

Hass avocado, named after a mail carrier, "Rudolph Hass", who planted the first seeding in California back in 1926 and all the "hass" plants all over the world, are from this mother tree but had since died in 2002 due to root rot. This fruit is usually pear-shaped or egg-shaped, with tough leathery skin that looks like the skin of an alligator, hence the nick name. It is green when unripe but will turn purple-black or brownish-black (fruit photo on the left) when ripe. Flavor is creamy, buttery and nutty. I will usually let it ripens further as I prefer it soft.

Cut the avocado all round into half and no, you can't cut through the hard round seed. Twist and turn and off it will separate. Notch out the brown seed and scoop it with a spoon to taste. Pure creamy luxury! The seed always reminds me of an eyeball with all the veins attached (refer to the cut fruit's photo) :) Wish that the seed is smaller and not taking up so much space! Dreaming of a seedless avocado? We can always dream, can't we?

Although the oil content is much higher than other fruits, it is mostly monounsaturated fats (considered as good fats). Eaten mainly as salads, vegetables and desserts and even use for beauty facial. Sometimes, I prefer to blend it with honey or mix it with other sweet fruits and drink it as a fruit juice. But on its own, it will be slightly bitter and strong. Do not blend it for too long as the heat will increase the bitterness, due to the chemical reactions. And don"t eat an unripe avocado or cook it as it is extremely bitter since the toxicity will set in. Enjoy your cado, I mean avocado!