Avocados are a strange fruit - there's nothing quite like them. We're seeing them show up in a lot of CSA boxes - especially out West and in the South, where they're easy to find. The average avocado tree will bear over 120 avocados in a season, as long as it's somewhere warm, where there's no frost.
We'll eat just about anything with avocado; they're not difficult to put to good use. We made eggs last week with avocado and tomatoes chopped up inside - the creamy, slightly tangy flavor of fresh Florida avocado is delicious paired with tomatoes. And you can never go wrong with some very basic guacamole: a little lime juice, a little salt, and chunky avocado mash. For some more (and slightly offbeat) ideas of things to do with those avocados, read on...
Toni writes about how her mother would mash avocado with sugar and milk and freeze it on toothpicks for Avocado Ice Candy. At Eating Asia there's some fantastic photos of the scaly fruit, along with a recipe for guacamole and an unusual (yet fascinating) Avocado and Chocolate Shake.
You also can't go wrong with a Bacon and Avocado Sandwich, or this Prawn and Avocado Salad. These Shrimp and Avocado Canapés look like great summer appetizers.
And of course, don't forget about the fried avocados!
What will you do with your avocados?
(Image credit: Wild Oats Market - Recipe for Shrimp in Avocado Shells)
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I had an avocado margarita once. It sounds strange, but it was soooo creamy and good.
Generally, I just use avocados in guacamole or sliced up in a sandwich with a little tomato and white cheese.
I love avocados but can never use a whole one at once. I've tried lime juice and keeping the pit in...any other suggestions to keep the avocado from browning?
A couple of avocado quickies I do from time to time. Not the classiest recipes, but very satisfying.
1. Halve, pit and will hole with balsamic vinegar. Enjoy!
2. Halve or chop avocado. Top with sauce made of ketchup, mayo, tabasco sauce and a little water.
Sorry, that should say "fill hole with balsamic vinegar". If I could produce balsamic vinegar at will, I'd have quit my job ages ago.
Knife, salt, spoon. Yum.
I'm always fond of avocado and grapefruit salad with lime dressing.
Another vote here for cut in half and eat!
I also love veggie sandwiches:
wheat bread
provolone
tomatoes
avocado
sprouts
cucumbers
mustard
yum.
Avocados work like bananas do in smoothies -- they help add that nice smooth quality without overpowering the flavor of other stuff in it.
As far as guac, I think the Barefoot Contessa's recipe is the best.
And recently I've been eating cheddar, avocado and Branston Pickle on an Almondine baguette for dinner a lot. It's delicious!
I also make a very basic avacado sandwich-- some good bread, avacado, lemon or lime juice, and spinach. I bet it'd be even better with tomato, but that's sometimes beyond me first thing in the morning when I'm making lunch for work.
i like to use avocado w/a little salt and pepper in place of cheese in a sandwich.
Blend with Green & Black's cocoa, honey or maple syrup, a drop of vanilla extra, a pinch of salt, and a drizzle of coconut oil for the most delicious chocolate mousse ever.
An avocado-cannellini bean-red onion salad with vinaigrette!
The cannellini beans are creamy, as is the avocado. Just be careful to add the chopped avocado after mixing together the beans, onion, and dressing, and stir gently. (Too much vigor leads to avocado paste.)
Kristina -- that sounds amazing! Do you put it in the blender or blend it by hand?
Avocado shakes are pretty common in Brazil, although lots of people who grew up in the us can't get past the sugar/avocado thing. Of course, I had a brazilian friend who said it took him a long time to get used to the idea of eating avocados as a salty food! (although now claims to be a huge guacamole fan...so I guess avocado evolution is possible!)
I've had avocado ice cream at Mitchell's here in SF. Really good, really weird.
Me too, Miss Mobtown! It's sort of a more buttery version of green tea ice cream--or maybe it was just the color that so reminded me of it. But it was delicious. I MISS California avocadoes over in London. They just don't do them right here.
My husband is Chilean so we're a big fan of the hotdogs with mashed (and salted and lemoned) avacado, diced tomatoes, mustard and mayo. Mmmmm
i just started liking these in the past couple of years and now i can't get enough of them. i made avacado ice cream a couple of months ago. the avacado is used in place of the eggs. it was delicious!
i guess i'm kind of an avocado purist, i like mine in a simple guacamole - with lime juice, salt and tons of chopped cilantro.
or in a tossed salad with a red wine vinaigrette - the avocado makes the dressing creamy and yummy.
and then finally on a turkey sandwich with arugula, onion and sprouts.
abbyroad -- I usually make it in the food processor. If you want to take it a little further, put equal parts nuts (hazelnuts are wonderful) and pitted dates (and some toasted coconut if you like) in the food processor until grainy and sticky, then press the date/nut "crust" into a tart pan. Spoon in mousse and let set in the fridge for a couple of hours. Serve with sliced berries. Easy, healthy, delicious.
Thanks, Kristina. I'm going to have to try it...
I make a chicken salad with leftover roasted chicken, diced avocado, dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and sunflower seeds that's pretty tasty.
Sliced avocado, cheddar cheese, and dijon mustard on whole wheat. Fabulous and simple!
just a drizzle of soy sauce. it's soooo good.