Recipes  

The Full Scoop on Avocado

We love the avocado for its creamy texture and mild flavour that goes with almost everything, but many still remain intimidated by its rough skin and large pit, not really knowing how to select one and cook with it. Here’s a short foray into the culinary world of the avocado.

Hass Avocado

There are dozens of varieties of avocados out there but grocery stores usually only carry two types. The most common is the Hass from California, that dark green warty one that we all know and love. About the size of a large pear, its pebbly skin and dark colour (green, purple or black) make it easy to spot in the produce aisle. Its flesh is ultra-creamy in texture and has a mild nutty taste. It’s great in salads or sandwiches, or mashed into guacamole or smoothies.

The different varieties

The other common kinds of avocado look totally different from the Hass: They are much larger (the size of a grapefruit, or bigger) and their skin is smooth, shiny and bright green. These include the Hall, Choquette and Bruce, many of which are from Florida. These avocados contain less fat than the Hass variety.

They have a bolder taste and their texture is less creamy. Their more fibrous consistency means that they hold their shape better, so they’re perfect for salads. The higher juice content, though, makes them a little runny when puréed, so not great for guacamole.

To learn more about how to ripen an avocado, be sure to consult our article:

Christina Blais

For Christina Blais, explaining food chemistry to the masses is as simple as making a good omelet. Holding a Bachelor and Master degree in Nutrition, she has been a part-time lecturer for over 30 years in the Department of Nutrition at the Université de Montréal, where she teaches food science courses. She has been sharing the fruits of her experience with Ricardo since 2001, during his daily show broadcast on ICI Radio-Canada Télé. And diehards can also read her Food Chemistry on our website. You can follow her on Facebook at @Encuisineavecchristinablais.