10 Little Known Secrets to GREAT GUAC

FRESH avocados straight from Chris Sayer's trees

1. Use the freshest, in-season, oil-based avocados. If you can get them straight from the ranch (e.g. - via the Diva! www.AvocadoDiva.com) those are the best. (E.G. - winter = Bacon, spring = Fuerte or Santana, summer = Lamb, Gem, Esther and winter = late season Lamb or perhaps an import). 
2. Always WASH your avocados. Wash them, dry them well - then set them out to ripen (or put them in the crisper). Why do you need to wash your avocados? Orchards are dusty places - avocados always have dust on them. Even from packing houses -- you would not believe how dirty they are. Not to mention when I'm in the orchards - there are always birds (who don't wear little birdy diapers...), there are always coyotes, rats, possums, raccoons, squirrels, etc. etc. You get the picture. Most orchards don't use much (if any) pesticides or herbicides - but still - you should wash for those too.  A good rinse and scrub with a soft brush or even a paper towel is fine. Then dry them. If you leave them wet, they ripen oddly. 
3. Plan ahead. Avocados fresh from a tree take 7 to 10 days to ripen. If you get them from the store (and thus, a packing house) - they may only take 2 to 3 days. So plan ahead for guacamole.
4. Smash AND Cube. The best guacamole is smooth AND chunky. Mash about 2/3 of your avocado - but leave a good 1/4 to 1/3 of them in bigger chunks for a truly delicious guacamole. I like to make my "mash" and season it well (see tip 9). Then make a bowl of "chunky" items (chunks of avocado, tomatoes, chilis, onions, etc.) - Carefully fold the chunks into the mash to finish your excellent guacamole. 
5. Be sure and use an acid. Most people squeeze a lime or lemon into their guacamole. This helps to keep the avocado from turning brown (as it oxidizes) AND it adds great flavor. You can use grapefruit juice or even a vinegar if you like. For extra flavor - you can even use the zest of lemon or lime. It adds a very bright note to your guacamole.
6. Dry your cilantro. If you like cilantro in your guacamole - use a lettuce spinner to dry it. OR roll it in paper towels before you chop it.  Wet cilantro gets ugly black and the extra water is no good for guacamole. 
7. Check for roots.  Sometimes the seed is already starting to grow a root in a well ripened avocado. Just nick out the root so you don't get a weird, hard bit in your guacamole.
8. Get all the green! The most nutritious and flavorful part of an avocado is the deep green flesh next to the skin. If you use a tool or spoon to get the avocado out - be sure and "scrape" the skin clean to get ALL of the dark green part. This adds more avocado flavor as well as extra vitamins and minerals - as they lurk in the darkest, greenest part of the avocado.



Cut out the root IF its there

9. Season guacamole well. Most people under season their guacamole. Avocados are very bland. Use lots of salt, garlic and chili sauce and keep tasting as you mix. (Or the Diva's Guacamole Spice Mix, easy!)  Taste test it with the chip or veggie you are going to serve - because that can affect how much seasoning. (E.g. - chips are salty - so if you are serving your guacamole with chips, it needs less salt than if you are serving it with carrot sticks.) 



Season EACH component



Dry cilantro in a salad spinner

10. Season each component. This is a "chef trick" - season the tomatoes separately. Roast the chilis for an added flavor. Toss your cilantro with the chili sauce. Etc. Etc.  Season each component and you'll find the overall guacamole will taste that much more complex. 

Finally -- I like to put my guacamole in a beautiful dish and top it with a few sprigs of cilantro (if I used cilantro) as well as a ring or two of the onion or chili plus a few pretty tomato pieces. Not only is it lovely (and we eat with our eyes first!) - it also gives clues to our friends of what tastes and elements we used in our guacamole. 

For 52 more recipes, tips and tricks - please subscribe to this blog! You'll find out WAY more than you ever knew about guacamole!

The Avocado Diva

scrape out ALL the green

Wash your avo