AVOCADO
Florida’s numerous avocado varieties differ in shape and size, but have in common green, smooth skin and comparatively low oil and high water contents. This variety is lower in fat, and not quite as rich tasting as the popular Hass variety grown in California and Mexico. Once considered an exotic product, avocado is quickly making its way into a wide variety of dishes in our culture, from salads to sandwiches to the ever-popular southwestern favorite, guacamole.

History
The avocado is native to Mexico, Central America and parts of South America and was cultivated by the ancient Mayas, Toltecs, Aztecs, Incas and other great Indian civilizations for centuries before the white man arrived in the New World. Early explorers were enthusiastic about the new-found fruit and took it back with them to Europe where it was gradually introduced throughout the areas with climates favorable to its culture. By 1825, avocado was grown in the Hawaiian Islands, Africa and Polynesia.

Selection, Care & Handling
Select fruit that yields gently to pressure and avoid avocados that look badly bruised or have dark, soft or sunken spots. To ripen hard avocados as quickly as possible, store them in a loosely closed paper bag at room temperature, checking the ripening process frequently. The fruit will not ripen when cut and a whole avocado should not be refrigerator, if possible.

Preperation & Serving Suggestions
A simple delicacy that can best be enjoyed with just a touch of lime, salt and pepper. Avocado also adds a smooth, mellow flavor to sandwiches, salads, or guacamole, or cooked blended with eggs, fish or baked into souffles and sauces.

Recipe - Avocado Soup with Lemon Mint
Ingredients:
1 medium onion, sliced
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
2 ripe avocados
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
2 Tablespoons Sherry
1-1/2 cups chicken stock or canned chicken broth
1/2 to 1 cup heavy cream
mint sprigs, cayenne for garnish

Cook onion slices in butter until translucent, about 6 minutes. Place onions and butter in blender. Peel and seed avocados and add to blender. Heat broth or stock to dissolve fat and add to blender along with ginger and Sherry. Blend at medium speed until smooth. There will remain some small bits of onion. Pour into a bowl and add cream to taste. Refrigerate uncovered overnight, cover bowl in the morning. Just before serving you may reheat, or serve cold, adding more cream to desired thickness. Sprinkle a pinch of cayenne in each bowl, it will rise to the top. Ladle soup over cayenne, add a sprig of lemon mint from the garden. Be sure to rinse the mint and crush slightly to release flavor.

Avocado Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 2 Tbs. mashed avocado
Calorie: 55	Calories from fat: 45
	% Daily Value
Total Fat: 5g	8%
Saturated fat: 1g	5%
Cholesterol: 0mg	0%
Sodium: 0mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate: 5g	2%
Dietary Fiber: 1g	4%
Sugars: 1g	Protein: 1g
Vitamin A: 0%	Vitamin C: 4%
Calcium: 0%	Iron: 0%