|
 Of the three main strains of avocados (Mexican, Guatemalan and Caribbean) it was the Mexican that was hybridized into the very popular, pebbly- skinned Hass (the variety often labeled “California” in the stores). The flavor of the non-hybridized, tender-skinned little wild Mexican original, called “criollo,” have an intense toasted-almond- and-fennel creaminess that is a bit diluted in the Hass, even more in Fuerte avocados and others from the Guatemalan strain. Caribbean (what we usually call “Florida”) avocados are very large, with lighter texture, lower oil content and wonderfully fruity sweetness.
The Mexican strain is the only one with aromatic leaves used for cooking. Since leaves from the U.S. grown hybrids have little flavor, it’s always a treat to run across leaves from Mexico. When you’re using the leaves in a dish, they’re usually toasted, then added as you’d add (the related) bay leaves. When used as a bed to nestle marinated meat in barbacoa-making (either cooked in a pit or in a stovetop steamer), they’re frequently not toasted.
It’s no wonder that guacamole developed in Mexico. The dense, oily flesh of Mexican avocados (here we’re including Hass and other cultivars) can be easily mashed into a thick and unctuous texture; they have the richness of flavor that welcomes tomatoes, cilantro, onion and the like. Avocados from other strains show better when sliced and diced as garnishes.
Hass avocados are the easiest to work with, in many ways, because they can be ripened on a countertop (in a paper bag to speed things along), then stored in the refrigerator for a few days without going over the hill. The mashed flesh darkens relatively slowly, too. Don’t let this deter you from buying other varieties, since the world of avocados offers a remarkable variety of tastes and textures.
Unless you are shopping in a Mexican market, don’t expect to buy ripe avocados.  Avocados are one of the few fruits (yes, they are a fruit, not a vegetable) that doesn’t ripen on the tree. In fact, ripening won’t start until you pick them and give them a warm environment. Produce purveyors and grocery store owners love this fact, because they can keep those hard green globes in their unripe state of suspended animation without risk of spoilage. We cooks, however, have to plan days ahead for a bowl of guacamole. If you do find ripe avocados, make sure they don’t have any dents (they translate as dark bruises underneath) and that the pit isn’t shaking around inside indicating over-ripeness (where the pit doesn’t touch the flesh there will be air--and browning oxidation).
For garnishes, many Mexican cooks slice through the unpeeled avocado directly toward the pit, cutting out wedges, then peeling off the strip of skin. Alternatively (and this is easiest with thick-skinned Hass), you can cut around the pit from stem to flower ends and back up again, twist the two halves apart in different directions (the pit will stay attached to one half), and scoop out the pit (or carefully lodge a knife into the pit, then twist the knife/pit until the pit is dislodged). Scoop the flesh from the skin with a large spoon or, as some Mexican cooks do, slice out strips directly from the avocado half, leaving the skin behind and in tact.
Stats: a large avocado weighs about 1/2 pound and yields about 3/4 cup pulp.
|
