On Mar 17, 9:59 pm, Mark Thorson > wrote:
> I've noticed that the Hass avocados I buy from
> my local produce market have a much nicer
> texture when beaten into guacamole than
> the larger and more perfect avocados from
> supermarkets.
>
> They're both Hass avocados, only differing in
> size, texture, and the number of nasty dark
> spots that I cut out. The avocados from the
> little produce market always have more dark
> spots, but they have a much nicer texture.
> They cost the same ($1 each).
>
> It's hard for me to describe the difference
> in texture. After beating into guacamole,
> I'd say the supermarket avocados have a much
> more pasty texture. The avocados from the
> little produce market produce a texture
> like what I expect good guacamole to have.
>
> I'm thinking that the difference may be
> country of origin (e.g. Chile vs. the U.S.).
> Or maybe the degree of ripeness when picked.
> Is there more than one variety of Hass-like
> avocado?


If they're both Haas, the ones from the big grocery store are probably
treated in some way to look prettier and have a longer shelf life.

I've noticed that the Hass avocados I buy from
my local produce market have a much nicer
texture when beaten into guacamole than
the larger and more perfect avocados from
supermarkets.

They're both Hass avocados, only differing in
size, texture, and the number of nasty dark
spots that I cut out. The avocados from the
little produce market always have more dark
spots, but they have a much nicer texture.
They cost the same ($1 each).

It's hard for me to describe the difference
in texture. After beating into guacamole,
I'd say the supermarket avocados have a much
more pasty texture. The avocados from the
little produce market produce a texture
like what I expect good guacamole to have.

I'm thinking that the difference may be
country of origin (e.g. Chile vs. the U.S.).
Or maybe the degree of ripeness when picked.
Is there more than one variety of Hass-like
avocado?

In article >,
Mark Thorson > wrote:

> Or maybe the degree of ripeness when picked.
> Is there more than one variety of Hass-like
> avocado?

I don't know but I've gotten excellent avocadoes this year --
consistently good. I picked up 5 today for 88 cents each -- they're
either ready or nearly ready for a salad or a sandwich. Yum.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://jamlady.eboard.com - Comfort Food for Bob Pastorio, updated
3-16-2007
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller - Hollandaise sauce 3-15-2007
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/amytaylor

In article >,
Mark Thorson > wrote:

> I've noticed that the Hass avocados I buy from
> my local produce market have a much nicer
> texture when beaten into guacamole than
> the larger and more perfect avocados from
> supermarkets.
>
> They're both Hass avocados, only differing in
> size, texture, and the number of nasty dark
> spots that I cut out. The avocados from the
> little produce market always have more dark
> spots, but they have a much nicer texture.
> They cost the same ($1 each).
>
> It's hard for me to describe the difference
> in texture. After beating into guacamole,
> I'd say the supermarket avocados have a much
> more pasty texture. The avocados from the
> little produce market produce a texture
> like what I expect good guacamole to have.
>
> I'm thinking that the difference may be
> country of origin (e.g. Chile vs. the U.S.).
> Or maybe the degree of ripeness when picked.
> Is there more than one variety of Hass-like
> avocado?

It might also be explained by the extended time in refrigerated storage
& transit that grocery chain produce often undergoes. They can be weeks
in storage, degrading very quickly at room temperature.

Steve Wertz wrote:
>
> On Sat, 17 Mar 2007 22:08:55 -0500, Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>
> Avocados have been $.50 each more often then not here
> in Austin. I've been pigging out. Honestly, the Chilean
> Hass's seem to be more consistent than the Californians.
>
> Mis-spelling of the century: They're not spelled "Haas".

"Haas avocado" = 12,600 hits on Google
"Hass avocado" = 50,500 hits on Google

And just for fun . . .

"Haas avacado" = 534 hits on Google
"Hass avacado" = 285 hits on Google

Note the inversion of the scores when
a delibrate misspelling is introduced.

And for even more fun . . .

"mis-spelling" = 133,000 hits on Google
"misspelling" = 2,820,000 hits on Google
"mispelling" = 185,000 hits on Google

And just to top it all off . . .

"incompetant" = 245,000 hits on Google

Time to call it a day. :-)

"Mark Thorson" > wrote in message
...
> I've noticed that the Hass avocados I buy from
> my local produce market have a much nicer
> texture when beaten into guacamole than
> the larger and more perfect avocados from
> supermarkets.
>
> They're both Hass avocados, only differing in
> size, texture, and the number of nasty dark
> spots that I cut out. The avocados from the
> little produce market always have more dark
> spots, but they have a much nicer texture.
> They cost the same ($1 each).
>
> It's hard for me to describe the difference
> in texture. After beating into guacamole,
> I'd say the supermarket avocados have a much
> more pasty texture. The avocados from the
> little produce market produce a texture
> like what I expect good guacamole to have.
>
> I'm thinking that the difference may be
> country of origin (e.g. Chile vs. the U.S.).
> Or maybe the degree of ripeness when picked.
> Is there more than one variety of Hass-like
> avocado?

My good friend prefers the Mexican avocados, but we were not allowed to
bring them over the border unless the pits had been removed. Even with a
cooler in the car, after 3 or 4 hours on the bridge in a hot car, it just
wasn't cost effective to bring more than one could eat in a day. That law
has eased up and we are now allowed to import the avocados whole. Yippee.
Maybe we'll get fresher local fruit here.
My favorites were the little smooth skinned Mexican avocados that had such
tender skin you could eat it like a plum. They were only half the size or
less, some no more than an inch or two, but they were perfectly ripe and
tasty. I got me a pit started and I'm expecting lots of avocados any day
now.
Edrena

In article >, Mark Thorson > wrote:
>I've noticed that the Hass avocados I buy from
>my local produce market have a much nicer
>texture when beaten into guacamole than
>the larger and more perfect avocados from
>supermarkets.
[snip]
>I'm thinking that the difference may be
>country of origin (e.g. Chile vs. the U.S.).
>Or maybe the degree of ripeness when picked.
>Is there more than one variety of Hass-like
>avocado?

The term "ripeness" is not strictly useful in describing the right
stage to pick avocadoes. They will remain hard and "green" on the
tree for ages and only soften after picking. (Eventually, they will
probably "soften" on the tree too, but they will mostly likely be
soft because they're rotten by then.)

The fruit is considered ready for harvest at "maturity", which is
defined by the dry matter content of the flesh. I can't recall the
actual minimum value used here in Oz (I could find out, if anyone
really wants to know) but I've no doubt it's just that -- *minimum* --
when it comes to commercial harvests for the supermarket trade. I
would guess your average market stall holder may be a little more
conservative and prepared to leave the fruit on the tree for a week or
two longer. In fact, it would suit them to do just that to spread
their crop out over a number of market days, if the local markets are
at all similar to the small ones around here.

Cheers, Phred.

--
LID

In article >, says...
>
> They're both Hass avocados, only differing in
> size, texture, and the number of nasty dark
> spots that I cut out. The avocados from the
> little produce market always have more dark
> spots, but they have a much nicer texture.
> They cost the same ($1 each).
>

You won;t get much sympathy from here, the land of the $3.50 avocado!

Maybe the better ones were allowed to ripen more on the tree?

--
Peter Aitken

"Mark Thorson" > wrote in message
...
> I've noticed that the Hass avocados I buy from
> my local produce market have a much nicer
> texture when beaten into guacamole than
> the larger and more perfect avocados from
> supermarkets.
>
> They're both Hass avocados, only differing in
> size, texture, and the number of nasty dark
> spots that I cut out. The avocados from the
> little produce market always have more dark
> spots, but they have a much nicer texture.
> They cost the same ($1 each).
>
> It's hard for me to describe the difference
> in texture. After beating into guacamole,
> I'd say the supermarket avocados have a much
> more pasty texture. The avocados from the
> little produce market produce a texture
> like what I expect good guacamole to have.
>
> I'm thinking that the difference may be
> country of origin (e.g. Chile vs. the U.S.).
> Or maybe the degree of ripeness when picked.
> Is there more than one variety of Hass-like
> avocado?

My guess would be that it has to do with the ripeness when picked. I get avocado's
from a stand near my mom's, and the texture is far preferable, even when eating out
of hand, to the grocery store's avo's.

The last time I got some from the grocery store, they felt perfectly ripe on the
outside, and the center was completely rubbery. Wouldn't mash, and felt nasty to bite
into. Uck.

kimberly

On Sun, 18 Mar 2007 16:35:23 GMT, Steve Wertz
> wrote:

>On Sat, 17 Mar 2007 21:44:53 -0800, Mark Thorson wrote:
>
>> Steve Wertz wrote:
>>>
>>> On Sat, 17 Mar 2007 22:08:55 -0500, Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>>>
>>> Avocados have been $.50 each more often then not here
>>> in Austin. I've been pigging out. Honestly, the Chilean
>>> Hass's seem to be more consistent than the Californians.
>>>
>>> Mis-spelling of the century: They're not spelled "Haas".
>...
>> And for even more fun . . .
>>
>> "mis-spelling" = 133,000 hits on Google
>> "misspelling" = 2,820,000 hits on Google
>> "mispelling" = 185,000 hits on Google
>
>Some words I know I'm spelling wrong (or punctuating wrong) and
>do it that way because I just don't like the look. Typo's is
>another one.
>
>> "incompetant" = 245,000 hits on Google
>
>I didn't do that one.
>
>Remember: there's always googlfight.com.
>http://www.googlefight.com/index.php...&word2=grammar
>
>-sw

'accommodate' won by more than ten to one over 'accomodate,' which,
frankly, surprised me.

your pal,
blake

Steve Wertz wrote:
>
> On Sat, 17 Mar 2007 21:44:53 -0800, Mark Thorson wrote:
>
> > "mis-spelling" = 133,000 hits on Google
> > "misspelling" = 2,820,000 hits on Google
> > "mispelling" = 185,000 hits on Google
>
> Some words I know I'm spelling wrong (or punctuating wrong)
> and do it that way because I just don't like the look.
> Typo's is another one.

I agree that the correct spelling looks wrong.

> > "incompetant" = 245,000 hits on Google
>
> I didn't do that one.

I thought it was appropriate to mention because
it is the same class of error. I'm always
amused to see someone accuse somebody else
of being "incompetant".

On Sun, 18 Mar 2007 12:27:05 -0700, "Nexis" > wrote:

>
>"Mark Thorson" > wrote in message
...
>> I've noticed that the Hass avocados I buy from
>> my local produce market have a much nicer
>> texture when beaten into guacamole than
>> the larger and more perfect avocados from
>> supermarkets.
>>
>> They're both Hass avocados, only differing in
>> size, texture, and the number of nasty dark
>> spots that I cut out. The avocados from the
>> little produce market always have more dark
>> spots, but they have a much nicer texture.
>> They cost the same ($1 each).

I'm in southern Ontario, near Kingston. I get my avocados from a
discount grocery store, and I've been paying $0.79 each for them.

I buy them on the hard side, and let them sit for a couple of days
before I use them. They ripen up quite nicely on my counter.

Jo Anne

their leaves are great when mixed with black beans ( have a slight anise
flavor)
"Jo Anne" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 18 Mar 2007 12:27:05 -0700, "Nexis" > wrote:
>
>>
>>"Mark Thorson" > wrote in message
...
>>> I've noticed that the Hass avocados I buy from
>>> my local produce market have a much nicer
>>> texture when beaten into guacamole than
>>> the larger and more perfect avocados from
>>> supermarkets.
>>>
>>> They're both Hass avocados, only differing in
>>> size, texture, and the number of nasty dark
>>> spots that I cut out. The avocados from the
>>> little produce market always have more dark
>>> spots, but they have a much nicer texture.
>>> They cost the same ($1 each).
>
> I'm in southern Ontario, near Kingston. I get my avocados from a
> discount grocery store, and I've been paying $0.79 each for them.
>
> I buy them on the hard side, and let them sit for a couple of days
> before I use them. They ripen up quite nicely on my counter.
>
> Jo Anne

In article <eTPLh.9206$zx.117@trndny05>, "ilaboo" > wrote:
>their leaves are great when mixed with black beans ( have a slight anise flavor)

I've heard that many aprts of the avocado are toxic to one or more
species of mammals or birds or ... etc., so I was curious about the
above observation and googled "toxicity avocado leaves".

Here's one report I found (stolen from
<http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/avocadoleaves.htm>

<quoting>
Reports of Toxicity
You may have seen various articles on the web that report that avocado
leaves may be toxic. I believe this topic is best explained by Diana
Kennedy if her new book “From My Mexican Kitchen” just published,
2003:

"Because there has been some concern about toxicity of avocado leaves
among some Californian aficionados, I think it is time to set the
record straight. The toxicity reports relate back to a study done in
1984 at the University of California at Davis, which showed that dairy
goats suffered some toxic effects from ingesting very large amounts of
avocado leaves (the toxic agent remains unknown). The crucial point,
according to Dr. Arthur L. Craigmill, toxicology specialist at Davis
and one of the authors of the study, is that the toxic effects were
traced to the Guatemalan avocado (Persea American). When the goats
were fed Mexican avocado leaves (Persea dryminfolia), a different
variety, there was no problem.

The Hass avocado, the best tasting one grown in America, is a hybrid
of indeterminate origin though its DNA tests positive for a Guatemalan
ancestor—hence the suspicions. No one has ever tested Hass leaves for
toxicity, but it seems unlikely that the small amounts used in cooking
would cause any problems in any case. When in doubt, choose based on
tasted and that leads you to the aromatic Mexican leaves which are now
available in the U.S."
</quoting>

There's a bunch of more technical stuff at
<http://www.cbif.gc.ca/pls/pp/ppack.
info?p_psn=238&p_type=all&p_sci=comm>

Cheers, Phred.

--
LID