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Saturday, September 15, 2007

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!

25 comments:

kml said...

Very informative as usual! Great tip about not heating them up. I really enjoy your posts!

Simon said...

The taste is too strong for me. I tried it once and didn't like it.

Sue said...

Didn't like an avocado???! I wish I didn't. I could have saved over 30 million calories.

Nice post, Fruity. The HASS avocado is the only way to go.

Mom Knows Everything said...

I have never eaten one, but I think I'm going to try it. You always have such beautiful pictures of the fruit.

Nature Nut /JJ Loch said...

I like avacado dip but that's about it. How interesting about the testicles. LOL

Hugs, JJ

Kim said...

I love avocado with fresh king prawns.....a real taste sensation...Fruity

Fruity said...

kml, well, some fruits just can't be cooked... I'm glad that you find it useful

neoauteur, This fruit needs acquired taste. Wait for it to be much softer, it won't be so strong.

sue, same goes for me. Countless...

tammmy, you got to try it, at least once. It's nice.

JJ, remember, don't think of it when you are enjoying this fruit..

kim, that's a great combination. I only tried it with small prawns, as in appetizer

Lovelyn said...

Avocado is very common in Philippines... i usually eat it with sugar.. cut into cubes and add sugar. Rr you can have it as Avocado Shake as commonly known here in Philippines. With crashed ice, milk sugar and the avocado mixed together in a blender/processor...

Also, i watched Rachel Ray in one of her episode in Lifestyle she used avocado as substitute for mayonaise for her Burger.

KitteeBee said...

that's a perfect specimen!!

xo
kittee

Swaruchy said...

hmmm...so this time its Avocado...have never tasted this till now :-)
As usual a great post dear ;-)

Anonymous said...

I just made guacamole...how ironic? Oh so yummy though!!

Momgen said...

Nice blog i will link you in my blog!

morinn said...

i like eating the avocado flesh with a pinch of salt and sometimes with some sugar. soo tasty ;)

Anonymous said...

Love this content! great blog!

Victorya said...

I love avocado! I eat it as often as I can (yes, cooked too, still awesome). Another interesting factoid is that it doesn't ripen on the tree, so farmers can leave them on the tree for a long time! (I've heard up to seven months.)

Fruity said...

Hi lovelyn & morinn:
You both love it sweet, don't you? As for salt, I have never tried it before.

Hi kittee & sirisha:
Thank you...appreciated

Hi jamie:
Telepathic call you send me earlier :)

Hi genny, hannah & victorya:
Welcome to my fruty world. Thanks for the link, genny, will do likewise. You are right, vic, they just leave it there to hang :)

Cheers from Fruity

LORD MANILA STONE said...

i just love this fruit, oh how i miss it, i haven't had a taste of it for more than three years i guess, when i was younger, we had an avocado tree at home and we would pick a lot, mash them, add some sugar and milk, what a delightful dessert^^

Fruity said...

Wow, you got avocado tree at home. Seldom seen it in Asian countries

Anonymous said...

Avos rock! At least the hass ones from Mexico do, so rich and creamy. Yes, they are high in fat, but the good kind, I use INSTEAD of mayo on sandwiches and they are delish. Remember they are ripe when they are nearly black - Issy

Anonymous said...

The text is very informative.thanks to send this page .wonderful!

suman
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Free Satellite TV

PERFORMANCE MATRIX said...

its nice

RoHaN said...

Wow... Really a very informative post..
i will surely try it

"bpo solutions"

jason said...

I can spot my dad's cooking a mile away, he always had a few slices of avo on top of EVERY dish, hehe, regardless of taste, style or anything. love it!

Anonymous said...

My Avo tree doesn´t give fruit.
Can anyone help me ?
Why is this?

eekim.foo said...

love avocado, usually available are those from australia and new zealand. remove seed and add honey or blueberry/cranberry jam, makes wonderful taste. trying to grow avocado from seed here in malaysia.from eekim.foo@gmail.com