Fruit of the week: Avocado

The History of Avocados


The California avocado is a native American plant with a long, distinguished history. Today, the most popular variety is the Hass. The mother tree of all Hass avocados was born in a backyard in La Habra Heights, California.

The avocado (Persea americana) originated in south-central Mexico, sometime between 7,000 and 5,000 B.C. But it was several millennia before this wild variety was cultivated. Archaeologists in Peru have found domesticated avocado seeds buried with Incan mummies dating back to 750 B.C. and there is evidence that avocados were cultivated in Mexico as early as 500 B.C.

To read more about the history of avocados:

http://www.avocado.org/about/avocado_history.php

Avocado facts:

-Avocados are a fruit, not a vegetable, belonging to the genus Persea in the Lauraceae family.

- Avocados are sodium- and cholesterol-free and have only five grams of fat per serving, most of it the monounsaturated kind.

-Brazilians add avocados to ice cream.

-Filipinos puree avocados with sugar and milk for a dessert drink.

-The avocado is also called an Alligator Pear because of its pear-like shape and green skin.

More avocado facts are found here:

http://www.avocado.org/about/fun_facts.php

Quick and easy avocado appetizer



Avocados with shrimps and lime (I´m totally addicted to this)

Cut avocado in half and remove the seed, sometimes using a spoon is the best way.

Put some shrimps on top of the avocado.

Finally squeeze juice from the lime on top of the avocado and shrimps