Tag: avocado

Rock Out with Your Guac Out

There is no such thing as too many avocados. There is, however, such thing as overzealous purchasing leading to a glut of of avocados all ripening at the same time. Try as I might, it’s impossible to resist a good sale, which is how I ended up with 14 of the green gems on my kitchen counter. One per day is my usual rate of consumption, but even that couldn’t compare to the embarrassment of riches now at my disposal.

Most normal people would turn to guacamole, which is a solid answer to mashing down 3 or 4 avocados into a single serving (as far as I’m concerned.) That said, how many times can I spare so many of these savory treasures at once? This calls for something more exciting.

Fudge all your preconceived notions about such a classic confection; fudge is more than just chocolate. Rich and creamy not from butter, but from the glorious green flesh of avocados, this unconventional approach highlights the versatility of the beloved fruit. Creamy and custard-like, each small square melts in your mouth, leaving behind only a lingering, subtle sweetness. Hints of vanilla and lime accentuate the complex nuances for a delicate but well-balanced flavor.

Rather than the pure sugary rush of conventional fudge, this one has real substance with style. Don’t forget, these are all good fats, so you can pretty much write this one off as health food. It really is more satisfying than your average treat!

If ever you’re faced with the decision of how many avocados to buy, remember this. Too much is never enough.

Continue reading “Rock Out with Your Guac Out” →

Hannah (BitterSweet)4 Comments

Ode to Avocados

Prized as a delicacy and an aphrodisiac, avocados have been cherished since the early Aztecs first harvested the wild fruit over 10,000 years ago. While that’s an impressive history, proving its long term staying power, I’m disquieted to imagine any point in time that this most precious, indispensable stable didn’t exist. Rarely does a day pass without some form of avocado appearing on my personal menu, and often more than once. I hate to play favorites when there are so many incredible fresh finds out there… But I know avocado is the one I couldn’t live without.

Once the underdog of the produce world, avocados have enjoyed a meteoric rise in popularity only during the later half of the 20st century. Now ubiquitous, Americans alone account for over $2.6 billion in avocado sales annually. No wonder millennials can’t afford to buy houses anymore. The buttery flesh may be green, but its really worth it’s weight in gold.

As National Avocado Day looms ever nearer on July 31st, the whole event seems curiously redundant. Don’t we already pay our respects at the shrine of the ahuacatl more religiously than most conventional deities? I don’t really need to suggest a celebratory round of guacamole, as if it wasn’t the most obvious serving suggestion in the book? Besides, you have a whole separate holiday to rock out with your guac out, on September 16th.

There’s no wrong way to eat an avocado. In fact, my favorite method is to scoop it right out of of shell with a spoon, gilded with tiny pinch of flaky salt over the top. If you’d like to pull out all the stops for this party and try something special, however, I do have a few more ideas that are sure to make any avocado lover swoon.

Continue reading “Ode to Avocados” →

Hannah (BitterSweet)8 Comments

Fresh is Best

Salsa, literally meaning “sauce” in Spanish, is every bit as versatile as that all-encompassing name suggests. Traditional renditions are as simple as chopped tomatoes and peppers with a pinch of salt, but there are no rules for this savory dance. Spicy or mild, acidic or alkaline, crisp or creamy, smooth or chunky; there’s a taste and texture to complement every meal.

In fact, modern salsas can just as easily be sweet and fruity to pair with dessert, not a vegetable in sight. The one universal rule to salsa is that no matter the ingredients, they must always be fresh. Forget about the shelf-stable stuff collecting dust on supermarket shelves; it may call itself salsa, but it sure doesn’t live up to this piquant condiment’s proud legacy.

You know you have a truly great salsa when you want to eat it with a spoon. No chips are needed to start the party with Sam’s Fresh Salsa, which is every bit as bold and flavorful as the fresh-cut produce that goes into each chilled package.

Inspired by the premier “Sam’s Fresh Salsa Blogger Recipe Challenge,” I decided to cut out the formalities and turn it into something I really could serve by the bowlful. Made from tart tomatillos, lime juice, garlic, peppers, and cilantro, the salsa verde immediately stood out to me as a versatile stand-alone snack and recipe starter. Bright, light, and refreshing with a subtle hint of jalapeño spice, it sings of summer’s bounty. The only other thing I can think of that might rival that fresh experience is gazpacho.

You see where I’m going here, right?

Gazpacho Verde is creamy and subtly sweet, closely aligned to classic Andalusian gazpacho, which is at least partially blended and surprisingly rich. Stale bread and a generous pour of extra virgin olive oil traditionally thicken this cool contender, but this Tex-Mex twist employs the luscious green flesh of ripe, buttery avocados instead.

As summer heats up, this is one instantly gratifying dish that will help you stay cool. Don’t touch that stove and put away your pans; this no-cook recipe only needs a brief blitz in the blender. For those really sweltering days, there’s no shame serving it in ice-filled glasses with a splash of vodka for a piquant Bloodless Mary.

You can get more fresh inspiration by checking out Sam’s Fresh Salsa on Facebook and Instagram, too. You can find them at ShopRite, Acme, and Safeway stores. Wish me luck in the contest!

Continue reading “Fresh is Best” →

Hannah (BitterSweet)2 Comments

Bravocado!

What’s better than bulletproof? Avocajoe is your indestructible, unbeatable, ironclad warrior in a sleek aluminum can. We’ve met this caffeinated champion before almost a year ago, before his greatness was fully realized. Answering the cries for truly upgraded coffee, without saturated animal fats, Avocajoe has finally arrived to save the day!

Forget the costly morning coffee run; this amber elixir delivers a lush latte experience at home, at work, or on the go. Velvety smooth and lightly sweetened with monk fruit, each sip lingers pleasantly, like a gentle, loving kiss. Easy to drink down in seconds, savor the moment before getting back to work, buoyed by the focused, slow burning energy that can only come from balanced nutrition. While a straight shot of espresso will send me flying at first and crashing later, this is one smooth trip, not a wild roller coaster ride to endure.

Available in three flavors, the Dark Roast could be considered the original; naturally sweetened coffee enhanced by whole avocado goodness, the flavor is straightforward but far from simple. Bold, woodsy, dark, and slightly mysterious, layers of flavor set this blend apart from the pack.

Taking that lustrous base note and adding bright, floral hints, Vanilla is the sweet, milky latte of third wave coffee shop dreams. Intensely flavored yet soft in texture, the experience is akin to a gentle wake up call for all the senses. Imagine using a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream as your coffee creamer, and you’d come pretty close to the luxurious taste contained in each slim aluminum can.

Saving what I think is the best for last, Mocha is my personal favorite of the trio. Leading with a creamy cocoa flavor, it reminds me of leftover hot chocolate that’s been chilled overnight, allowed to mature and deepen in complexity, then spiked with a concentrated shot of espresso.

Bolstered by avocado rather than typical alt-milks, Avocajoe is completely allergen-free; no nuts, seeds, dairy, or gluten to speak of. If you’re keto, diabetic, or just want a damn good iced coffee, it’s one-stop shopping here.

If you’re expecting drinkable guacamole blended with cold brew, you’ll be relieved to know that the green fruit only manifests as a rich, but not thick texture, leaving any objectionable savory notes out of the can. Served properly chilled, poured into a tall glass, you’d never guess the secret ingredient, but you can tell from the first taste that this is not your average Joe.

This post was made possible as a collaboration with Avocajoe. My opinions can not be bought and all content is original. This page may contain affiliate links; thank you for supporting my blog!

Hannah (BitterSweet)3 Comments

The Trouble with Truffles

When it comes to truffles, how much is too much? Is there even such a thing as “too much” when we’re talking about the most savory, hyper-palatable substance found in nature? Sure, it’s easy to go overboard with a few seemingly harmless extra drops of truffle oil, turning a previously balanced dish into an acrid chemistry experiment gone wrong, but that’s another story entirely. Most commercial options rely on entirely lab-created chemicals for their aroma, without a single fleck of fungus in sight. Carried by cheap filler oils, these knock-offs lack the subtle nuances, earthy richness, and depth of pure umami intensity distilled within real truffles. Dirty diamonds locked within nubby black exteriors that could just as easily be mistaken as rocks are the key to this taste of luxury that no scientist can replicate.

When you go all-in on the real deal, you’ll know the difference when you taste it. Immediately it hits you, sweeping you off your feet before that first bite even hits your taste buds. The aroma alone can stop a conversation in its tracks and turn heads, like a dazzling supermodel making a grand entrance at a party. This bombshell doesn’t need any makeup or designer clothing to captivate, though. All that brilliance and more is found within; inherent, implicit, obvious to see beyond shallow outward aesthetics.

The real trouble with truffles is that their delicate nuances begin to fade almost as soon as they’re unearthed. Part of their scarcity is due to this ephemeral quality. Even if you can get the real deal, fresh isn’t always best. Personally, my top pick is always preserved, since there’s no gambling with lack of access, nor variable quality. At least that’s the case with Truffle Hunter. There’s nowhere to hide on these short labels fronting meaty shavings of black summer truffles, lightly brined and kept pristine in extra virgin olive oil. In that two-for-one punch, you get the full-bodied fungus, AND true infused truffle oil.

Genuine luxury is sinking your teeth into one of those substantial sheets of pure umami power. Frequently recommended as a topper for crostini, that suggestion made me think of toast, which naturally leads to avocado toast, and the inspiration to embellish was unstoppable from there.

Avocado toast elevated to the status of fine fare, this breakfast staple is now fit for a crowd. Taking basic staples to the next level, a tiny dose of white truffle balsamic vinegar is blended into creamy, luscious cashew ricotta, harmonizing with the beautifully marbled slabs of black truffle sparkling on top.

Resting atop a lightly seasoned crust of crisp breadcrumbs, each layer is more decadent than the last. Buttery, bright green avocados take on a greater degree of decadence, heightened by the intense, earthy, almost nutty notes of truffles. You could always gild the lily with a finishing kiss of truffle salt… But that might just test the theory that too much is never enough.

Simply sublime, sublimely simple. It may be tough to go back to plain old avocados on bread after just one bite.

Continue reading “The Trouble with Truffles” →

Hannah (BitterSweet)7 Comments

Unholy Guacamole

Don’t judge a book by its cover, a person by their clothing, or a dip by its color. The comparison is inevitable so I’ll go ahead and say it: The following recipe, no matter how brilliantly described or lovingly plated, will always and forever look like a glorious mountain of cow plop, steaming away on a hot summer’s afternoon.

Just avert your eyes and dig in. The smoky, spicy, earthy flavor of cocoa mole awaits your taste buds if you can suspend disbelief. Presenting a bold alternative to the ubiquitous green guacamole filling bowls across the country for Super Bowl festivities, it won’t score any points for presentation, but may just win the snacking game.

Yield: 2 Cups

GuacaMole

GuacaMole

When guacamole meets mole, the results may not be pretty, but the flavor is out of this word. This creamy, smoky, spicy, and earthy mashup will tempt you to double (or triple) dip.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  • 1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
  • 1 Teaspoon Chipotle Powder
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1/8 Teaspoon Ground White pepper
  • 2 Avocados
  • 2 Tablespoons Lime Juice
  • 1 Small Heirloom or Medium Roma Tomato, Chopped
  • 2 Cloves Garlic, Finely Minced
  • 2 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro, Minced
  • 2 Scallions, Thinly Sliced

Instructions

  1. Combine the cocoa, spices, and salt in a medium bowl and mix well.
  2. Pit, dice and scoop the avocado flesh out, adding it to the bowl along with the lime juice. Very roughly mash with a fork, incorporating all of the dry ingredients but keeping the texture rather chunky.
  3. Mix in the tomato, garlic, cilantro, and scallions last, stirring until the vegetables and herbs are equally distributed throughout the dip.
  4. Serve with chips or cut vegetable crudites.

Notes

Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1/4 cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 68Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 71mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 3gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g
© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: Mexican / Category: Dips, Dressings, Sauces, Spreads, and Condiments

Hannah (BitterSweet)3 Comments