Avocados are pretty darn delicious and nutritious (a good fat with potassium, and vitamins B, E, & K). Guacamole is one of the most popular dips, and slices of avocado are lovely in salads, sandwiches, and rice bowls. Avocado is technically a fruit because it has a seed, event though it is more savory that sweet , though can be used to make fantastic smoothies and desserts. While many grocery stores only carry one or two types of avocado, you'll find many more options if you go to a natural shop or farmers markets, which can feel overwhelming and confusing. Avocados come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and prices and their availability depends on the season and where you live - so here's a guide to help you figure out what to buy.
Hass is the most common type of avocado and some say it's the best for making guacamole. It's high oil content gives it a creamy texture and rich, nutty flavor. It is medium in size, ovate in shape with a black, pebbled skin. The are often cross pollinated so their taste varies depending on where you buy them - for the best flavor it's best to get them organic from a farmers market. They also tend to be more expensive because they don't show blemishes as much as greener varieties, so give one of the below a try to save some money.
Fuerte is the second most common variety. They are also quite oily but have less fat than Hass - they have a creamy texture and sweet, buttery, almost smokey flavor. It is medium-sized, pear-shaped with a green, leathery, easy to peel skin. FYI - it stays green, even when it's ripe, so you'll have to feel it.
Gwen - taste similar to Hass and thus are equally as good for making guacamole. Oval in shape and slightly smaller than Hass with a rich, nutty flavor. The skin texture is more finely pebbled than Hass, and is dull green when ripe.
Reed - are quite rich and oily and thus work best when avocado is the main ingredient in a recipe. They are great in salads and have the advantage of not getting mushy or browning easily. Smooth and delicate, they have a slightly nutty flavor. They are large and round with a smooth texture and dark, thick, glossy skin. Like fierce, the skin ripens green.
Bacon - hate to burst your bubble but the name has nothing to do with taste unfortunately - it was named after a farmer named James Bacon. They are actually pretty light in taste and are therefore nice in salads and sandwiches. Medium-sized with smooth, green skin with yellow-green, light tasting flesh. When ripe, the skin remains green, but darkens slightly
Pinkerton - They are easy to peel and taste similar to a Hass without as much oil and therefore a lighter flavor. There's a small seed, and its green skin deepens in color as it ripens. The thick flesh has a smooth, creamy texture, pale green color.
Zutano - good for salads. They are large, pear-shaped with a shiny, thin, yellow-green skin that peels moderately easily. The flesh is pale green with fibers.
The list goes on to Macarthur, Stewart, Booth, Lula, Simmonds, Taylor…and those are just the most popular types - they are hundred of varieties! For distinguishing photos of each variety, check out Avocado.org.
Some avocado tips:
- When shopping, look for unblemished, uniform avocados without soft spots
- For guacamole, feel avocados and pick the softest one (not too soft otherwise it might have gone bad)
- If you're going to slice an avocado, pick a firmer one
- If the avocado isn't ripe yet, put it in a paper bag and store at room temperature. It ripen in 2-5 days.
- Once you've sliced the avocado in half, you can sprinkle some lemon or lime juice on it before storing it in the fridge to keep it from turning brown
Anil Kapur
said on July 15, 2011