Heritage avocados grow YEAR ROUND in California -- so here is a list of what kinds are ripe - in which months.
What this means to YOU is -- what month(s) should you steal that avocado from a neighbor's tree -- no wait -- that's not right. ;-)
 |
| This avocado is REALLY full of oil - you can see how creamy it is. If flesh sticks to the pit - its usually a good sign... |
What it means is -- in California -- Hass are BEST in summer and early Fall. Even I eat Hass during the summer as they are very delicious. For all the other months, here is the Diva's preferences:
January - Bacon , any lonely - late season Lamb or Hass (still on a tree?!)
February – Bacon or Zutano
March – Bacon, Santana, Fuerte, Steward, Zutano
April – Fuerte, Bacon, Pinkerton
May – Rincon or Pinkerton
June – Edrinol or Pinkerton
July – Lamb, Hass, Reed, Nabal (if you can find any!)*
August – MacArthur, Hass, Lamb, Nabal*, Reed, Lady, Daley, Mattew Davis
September – Frey, MacArthur, Reed, Nabal*
October - Late season summer varieties if you can find them, , late Mexicola, Morro Bay Hass
November – A hard month... :-( The Diva goes into mourning -- may eat an import
December – Bacon avocados, San Diego Zutano
You MUST eat the right avocado in (or after) it's correct season - otherwise they can be rubbery, watery, or (if they are too early) they shrivel - because they do not have enough oil in them yet.
Avocados don't start to ripen until you pick it off the tree. Then they ripen up in 7-10 days - depending on their oil content. The later in their season - the more oil - the more quickly they ripen (it still takes at least 5 days).
Once an avocado is in season - say a Fuerte comes into season in spring (April) - it can "hang" on the tree for up to 18 months. And all that time, its filling up with oil. So if you can find a "late season" avocado - like a Fuerte that is STILL on the tree in June or July or the winter! -- it will be VERY OILY and delicious! Very heavy and quite flavor-full. (And yes, they can go rancid. If you find an avocado on the ground, that is ripe, mostly likely it will have bite marks on it - because it FINALLY go SO full of oil a rat or squirrel nibbled on it.)
REWARD FOR READING MY BLOG: (You should follow the Diva on Facebook - because whenever I get a GREAT avocado - like late-season ones, or the ever elusive Nabal - I eat it. Then I put a notice on Facebook that I have some for sale - and they sell in hours!! If I get a LOT of great avocados - they always go to my Diva Club members first.)
REWARD FOR READING MY BLOG: (You should follow the Diva on Facebook - because whenever I get a GREAT avocado - like late-season ones, or the ever elusive Nabal - I eat it. Then I put a notice on Facebook that I have some for sale - and they sell in hours!! If I get a LOT of great avocados - they always go to my Diva Club members first.)
One of my VERY favorite avocados is the "last of the season" Hass from orchards in Morro Bay, California - they hold an avocado festival up there in September. PLUS it's almost in Northern California (whereas the Diva lives in Central Coast -- and San Diego/Fallbrooke are South - almost in Mexico). So what THAT means is that avocados ripen FIRST in the South (San Diego) then move up (Orange County, LA county, Ventura County - then up to Santa Barbara and finally the north - e.g. -- Morro Bay).
When all the Hass are gone from down south and even in the Diva's area -- the Morro Bay avocados are still ripening -- and hanging on the trees. It's SO worth it to go up there in September or October and buy their late Hass! They are still oil filled and creamy and amazing! *Drool*
In any case -- you probably didn't want to know THIS much info -- but here it is. Enjoy!!
And it you want to take all the "guess work" out -- OR you don't live in California -- why not join my Diva Club and let US find the best avocados, in season, and ship them right to your door each month?
* Nabals -- yum. They are very rare. And considered a "rancher's secret". They don't like to sell them. They eat them themselves and hoard them for friends and family. If I am lucky enough to get a Nabal -- I usually ship them to my Diva Club members first. (Or I hoard them....).
This is a terrible picture of a Nabal - but it tasted GOOD. They are very round, hard skinned and SO AMAZINGLY TASTY!! One guy on Facebook offered me $10 per avocado. But I ate it. ;-)
I am wondering what type of avocado has the mildest flavor. My son is 3 and needs to gain some weight so I'd like to incorporate the healthy fats of avocado into his diet, but he turns his nose up at the taste of them. Even when I tried making them into a chocolate mousse. (He's allergic to egg/dairy.) I am curious as to how to select an avocado (variety or ripeness) with the LEAST amount of flavor. I know it won't have as much healthy oils in it that way, but if I can get him to eat it, then it's a positive!
ReplyDeleteHi there! Great questions. The most "bland" avocados are winter ones -- Bacon and Zutano come to mind. They are almost tasteless -- in the same way that mozzarella or cream cheese are. They DO have healhty oils (especially the Bacons). I can get you some if you like -- maybe for another 2 to 3 weeks. Please email us at sales@avocadodiva.com with your request. A box (with shipping) is about $30 -- and would last you a month (for a child). We send instructions on how to slowly ripen them. Best wishes!
Delete