Avocado - The French Alternative

Jackie French discussed growing and using the sacred Aztec ahuacatl, more commonly known as the avocado.

This handsome tree has glossy, dark green, leathery leaves and grows to around 15m (50') tall. It will grow in most parts of Australia, but in cooler areas it needs a warm, sheltered microclimate. Avocados are evergreen in tropical areas, but may be semi-deciduous in cooler zones.

Avocados bear inconspicuous, greenish-yellow, unisexual flowers followed by green to black, pear-shaped, nutritious fruit. (The word Ahuacatl comes from the Nahuatl or Aztec language meaning testicle, and refers to the shape of the fruit.) Because the fruit hangs on the tree for a long time and remains green even when ripe, it's difficult to tell when it is ready to harvest. Jackie recommends harvesting when the fruit has reached a reasonable size. When fruit is mature it ripens after picking. Just put it in the fruit bowl with other fruit and test it after a few days for softness. Most fruit will ripen within 7-10 days. Fruit that is immature will become leathery.

Avocados can be grown from a seed, but seedling grown plants will take many years to flower and fruit. It is best to buy a grafted variety from the nursery if you want a fruiting tree.

Using avocado - the French way

Use avocado on your bread instead of butter. It is high in monounsaturated oils and cholesterol free. Make a gourmet treat for your dog by adding one part mashed avocado to one part dog food. Jackie also gives her dog avocados that are too ripe for human consumption. Mash an avocado with lemon juice, salt, tomato puree and a few drops of Tabasco. This makes a great topping for toast. Mash an avocado with lemon juice and use it as a moisturising and cleansing mask for your face. Rub the same mixture into your hair, then shampoo as normal. You will be left with soft, smooth skin and beautiful, shiny hair.

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