INDIAN RIVER KITCHEN
TAILGATE
TOUCHDOWN
The popularity of avocados,
which were once called
alligator pears by Floridians,
Avocado recipe will score big with football fans
Floridians have grown and enjoyed avocados since the
82
1830s, but it took a while for the rest of the country to
catch on. With savvy rebranding, a couple of classic
recipes and a connection to football, they’ve skyrocketed
in popularity, with no sign of slowing down. They’re now
an essential ingredient in every tailgate party spread and a
symbol of a generation.
My great-grandma, Sara Summerlin, grew them in her St.
Lucie Village backyard. She never made guacamole; I doubt
she ever heard of it. But she knew they were a great substitute
for mayo or butter, and she often mashed them to spread
on bread. Yes, my great-grandma made avocado toast before
a millennial had even been born.
Back then they were called alligator pears and I think that
name is right on the money. Shaped like a pear; skin like
an alligator. Farmers, who were struggling to market them,
decided the name had to go. They thought it confused people
who were expecting the sweetness of a pear and that folks
were turned off by a fruit named after a swamp critter. They
thought consumers might understand what to expect and
how to use the fruit if the Spanish name, avocado, was used.
However, they failed to mention that the Aztec word, ahuacatl,
which the Spanish name is derived from, means testicle.
They successfully changed the lexicon.
When avocados fell out of favor during the low-fat craze of
the 1980s, marketing executives went back to work. First they
BY DANIELLE ROSE
taught people how to tell when the fruit was ripe. Next, they
created a mascot and held a national recipe contest called the
Guacamole Bowl. By tying avocados to football, they finally
scored a touchdown.
Demand for avocados is through the roof and so is the
price. Luckily, Floridians can grow their own. The method of
sticking toothpicks in a seed and sprouting it in a cup of water
works, but it will be at least 10 years before the first avocado
is picked. However, if a tree is purchased from a nursery, there
will be fruit within a few years.
There are more than 50 varieties grown in Florida; some
rich and buttery, others giant and fruity. Since they ripen at
different times of the year, a grower can potentially have ripe
avocados almost year-round. Right now, I have Lula and Oro
Negro. Next on my wish list is a Marcus Pumpkin because I
love that name. All of these and more are available at Nelson
Family Farms in Fort Pierce.
You probably don’t need a recipe for guacamole or avocado
toast, so here’s something a little different: guacatillo. This
dip falls somewhere between guacamole and salsa verde. I
like to roast the tomatillos, jalapeños and onions for a flavor.
I then combine the mixture in a blender with avocado, sour
orange juice and a touch of agave.
It’s bright and tangy, as spicy and sweet as you like, and
smooth thanks to the star ingredient, avocado. Serve it alongside
homemade tortilla chips for the win.
has skyrocketed over
the years thanks to the
rebranding of the fruit.
DANIELLE ROSE PHOTOS