the fruits of florida

Crossing the state line from Georgia to Florida, my mind skipped from peaches, pecans and tomatoes to more tropical thoughts - citrus. The welcome centre about a mile in offers free Florida orange juice to travelers en-route to the beach. (They need it, too - temperatures were topping 102 F.)

My extended family was heading to Gainesville as well, but from the south, climbing the same highway from Miami that we were descending on from Atlanta. My grandmother and aunt came bearing gifts - graduation gifts for my brother, of course, but also carrier bags full of avocadoes from their prized avocado tree in their backyard. (My nana told me a story of how years back she walked outside only to see an avocado thief up a latter, hanging over the fence into her yard, snipping the tree of avocadoes before making off with his bounty. They are a lot more careful now.)

Florida avocadoes are unlike any other - the skin is not hard, brown and nobbly, but rather green, thin, and very smooth. The flesh is different too - not nearly as meaty as the Haas varieties, but rather more fleshy. Everyone in my family prefers the Florida variety, no doubt as they all grew up eating them, but I'm not sure yet - I'm still used to the Haas variety. But I'm always willing to learn, so after chopping and dicing for the peach salsa, I turn my hand to whipping up another dip.

Florida guacamole
(serves everyone)

3 large Florida avocadoes, straight off the tree, peeled, de-stoned, de-pitted and halved
1 clove garlic, chopped fine (I just learned from reading Kitchen Confidential that you should never use a garlic press. I must say, I'm a little disappointed, but hey, Bourdain's the boss)
1 small handful of cilantro, chopped very fine
salt
juice of 1-2 limes, to taste

Place the avocadoes and garlic in a large bowl and mash with a fork to reach the desired consistency. This isn't nearly the same job that it is with Haas avocadoes. (I like to think it's because Florida avocadoes want to become guacamole.) The flesh falls apart easily. Add the cilantro and continue to mash until the guacamole is smooth.

Add juice and salt to taste. It will need more salt, and some times less juice. No oil or sour cream is necessary.

I really learned my lesson here about varieties. I tried putting the guacamole together as I would in the UK, throwing in the measures I have in my head for good guac. But I didn't taste it. I allowed my uncle to taste it first, and although he liked it, he noted it was a little tart. I tried it too - and he was right. I think it must be because the flesh is more watery with this variety, and it can't soak up - and hold up to - the lime juice in the same way. I had to add a third avocado to tone it down, as well as quite a lot of salt to allow the Florida avocado - obviously the more mellow sibling - to shine.

Many thanks to my grandmother and aunt for hauling those bags up to Gainesville - they were (only one of) the stars of the BBQ. My father's ribs, marinated in his homemade recipe, on the grill had college kids approaching the poolside with hopeful eyes and empty stomachs and leaving it quite content.