Then there are the Quirky Costumes
Avocados have such an appealing shape, that there are endless avocado-themed pillows and costumes for all ages and sizes, many of which give you the option of supplying your own stomach as pit. Not just for Halloween, when that version might be a bit chilly in some climates, many people don them for summer Doo-Dah parades and other whimsical occasions. There are inflatable versions, maternity versions, do-it-yourself versions, couples versions where one person is “toast.” and even versions for dogs. Along with Googling “avocado carving,” add “avocado costumes” for more examples of human ingenuity than you likely could have imagined.

The Quirky Quote
If you have nothing but love for your avocados, and you take joy in turning them into guacamole, all you need is someone to share it with. ~ Jason Mraz

The Quiet Creed
My friend Todd Hart, like me, recently gave a presentation at the international Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor virtual conference, but unlike me, chose to make his self-introduction humorous (e.g., “He can improvise songs in a single bound, swim while talking to dolphins” and suggested his MA degree in Human Services spelled backwards is SHAM but his mother thinks it’s short for SHAZAM). He uses the powers of improvisation for both humorous and serious purposes, including with neurodiverse teens. But one of my favorite things about him is his Guacamole Creed, where each letter stands for a word he aims to emulate, and which he uses to manifest positive energy when he meditates: Gratitude, Understanding, Awareness, Compassion, Acceptance, Openness, Love, Evolving. You’ve got to love a man who sees the best elements of life in guacamole.

The Quirky Facts
Okay, let’s get the basic facts out of the way and save the quiz for how to serve avocados. Avocados are thought to have originated in south-central Mexico, sometime between 7,000 and 5,000 B.C. (See resources.) While most of us tend to serve them like a vegetable in salads, they are classified as a fruit because their fleshy pulp and large seed fit the botanical criteria for a berry. But surprisingly, they are in the same family as cinnamon. Avocado trees can live up to 400 years and grow to a height of 65-70 feet. They are climacteric, meaning that as long as the fruit is attached to the tree, it does not ripen due to a fruit stem inhibitor. Domestic growers consider the tree pickable when a few mature avocadoes have fallen already, so apparently some ripen?

Avocados are rich in vitamins and minerals, and contain more potassium than a banana, and more fiber than any other fruit. They are rich in an antioxidant that boosts our immune systems and are especially good for our eyes and skin. Eat up.

The Question
Do you like avocados and/or guacamole? Served how?

Featured Product
I don’t generally promote commercial products, but for many years this mix added to a freshly mashed avocado has been the easiest to make and most popular hors d’oeuvres I have ever served.

The Quiz
While Mexican restaurants serve some form of avocado in nearly every dish, other countries and cultures serve avocados in a variety of ways. Can you match who favors what? (See choices at end of quiz) Some places are listed more than once. Which have you tried? Or will you now?

1.  A ripe avocado is placed on the table alongside whatever hot dish is served so that diners can add it to that dish.
2.  Serve in a salad by slicing or dicing some avocado flesh and pairing it with cucumbers, tomatoes, or other vegetables among other greens of choice.
3.  Here they consider avocados dessert and mash and mix it into ice cream, milkshakes, and sherbet.
4.  An avocado is warmed at a low heat in the oven to be served with scrambled eggs and anchovies for breakfast. 
5.  Or mashed on toasted bread for breakfast.
6.  As sandwich filling when mixed with mayonnaise, lemon or lime juice and crab meat or shrimp.
7.  Combine it with fruits like banana, dates, grapefruit, orange, and pineapple.
8.  Another dessert idea: Thoroughly mix avocado flesh with strong black coffee and sweeten it.

Anywhere in North America      Brazil       Guatemala       Hawaii      Java

Answers provided at the end of the document.

The Shameless Request