It was a long time ago, but I still remember the best avocado I ever had. I am entering my junior year of college. It is a hot, late summer evening, and I’ve driven back to school with the carload of belongings that will feather my college nest for another year. I finally unload the last box, get everything into the closet, make the bed and take a shower. With a wet head, and my most comfortable shorts and tee shirt on, I wander down to the kitchen in search of something to eat. The big, industrial size stainless steel kitchen is empty, except for a beautiful, huge bowl of avocados sitting on the counter. I gently squeeze one and realize that it is perfectly ripe. I go to the refrigerator and am thrilled to find a fresh lemon. So I cut and peel the avocado, slice it, squeeze just a bit of lemon juice over, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. With fork in hand, I take my prize and a glass of iced tea into the common room and settle on the couch. It is truly the perfect avocado, smooth, buttery and every so slightly tangy from the lemon, salt and pepper. I enjoyed every single bite and was filled with complete culinary contentment. To this day, I have never forgotten that evening.
While I still appreciate the simplicity of that version of avocado, and frequently serve it just that way, I confess that I also love the most famous dressed up version–guacamole. Sometimes I make it the really easy way—mashed up, squeeze of lemon, a tablespoon or two of salsa and a little bit of salt and pepper. Always good. But here is my favorite guacamole. The one I make for parties and the one that everyone always stops after the first bite and says, “this is so good!” None of the ingredients particularly stand out when you taste it, it’s not too spicy, not too tangy, the cumin doesn’t overpower—but the whole thing works together beautifully. Good to serve and great to eat on a hot late summer evening.
My Favorite Guacamole
Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded
1/2 cup cilantro, lightly packed
4 ripe Hass avocados
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Preparation:
Finely chop the garlic, jalapeno, and cilantro in a food processor. Peel, pit and chop the avocados and place in a large bowl. Mash the avocado coarsely with a fork. Add the garlic, jalapeno, cilantro mixture and the remaining ingredients and continue to mash. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap (placed directly on the surface of the guacamole to prevent browning) and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with tortilla chips.
You have quite the food experience memory! I like how you dressed up this guacamole recipe – the cumin, lemon juice and jalapeno would certainly zest it up.
Thanks Justin–I think everyone’s life is full of food memories–it’s fun to retrieve them, because in my case, they are almost always associated with a good time in life.