I’ve never had avocado

[BriocheBuns]

Around Christmas time there was a thread about what Christmas food people couldn’t get enough of and I remember stollen was very popular. So off I went to my local supermarket and picked up a bag of mini stollen bites... didn’t really like them but glad I tried them.

Now more to the point, a lot of people bang on about avocado on toast. I’ve never tasted avocado so before I go out and buy one only to dislike it I was wondering if anyone would be able to describe what it tastes like x

@elphame was right, though - with a 34p Tesco avocado, you get what you pay for!

@graphista
Spaghettieis - why has it never caught on over here? I haven't had one for decades.

Creamy grass but nice. Mashed, in a sandwich, with seafood cocktail. That is the very best.

I've never tasted one either and I'm old! I'm buying one tomorrow, how do you tell if its ready to eat?

I've never tried one either, they've just never appealed to me

I'd never tried it until last year. It seemed like nearly everyone in love island (I know it's hated on here but I love it) seemed to eat avocado on toast. So I finally thought I'll try it. I hated it. Took one bite and thought not for me.

I tried it in my mid-20s so much later than a lot of people. I couldn’t stand the taste initially as it tasted of almost nothing (a slight ‘greens’ taste’) but in a weird way. I gave it 4 more chances due to the health benefits of it and now I quite like it but beware they go from unripe to too ripe and brown very quickly

@takeabrolly get a good one. One that is ‘ripe and ready to eat.’ Not a ‘ripen at home’ one. I have to squeeze avocados to see if they are ripe enough. They have to have a bit of give. Like how you would squeeze a peach before buying it. Yes I feel super guilty in lockdown squeezing avocados.

@happymummy12345 they can be an acquired taste. One of those things that take getting used to but when you are you cannot get enough of them. Persevere like @Njgkk if you can.

@takeabrolly it needs olive oil, something sharp like lime, lemon juice or white wine vinegar and then if you so wish a twist of black pepper. Some like salt on it but not me. Mash it up. Put it on toast. Add a poached egg for extra joy. Enjoy and persevere x

Oooo and come back and check in again to let us know what it tastes like to you!

I love half and avocado served with maple syrup - amazing!

@MagentaDoesNotExist I'm reporting back on the halloumi.
It was delicious! The flour gave it a crunchy jacket and the oregano-warmed honey was divine. DS was shovelling slabs of the stuff into pita bread and declared it better than pizza. He's asked for it again for breakfast. (Not getting it. He can have Weetabix)

I think next time I'll use even more black sesame. I'm actually thinking about egging it properly and making a crunchy black sesame coating......

[quote Blessex]@HopingForOurRainbowBaby I have a flatbread raring to go now tomorrow. I also bought a toasty machine in lockdown so the kids can feed themselves at lunch that makes those line patterns.

I have a great halloumi salad recipe - broad beans (I always have a frozen packet in), red onion, avocado, dry fried warm halloumi cut in small chunks (lined frying pan too - obsessed with lines), lemon juice, olive oil, fresh parsley or mint.[/quote]
Ooh that sounds nice, not keen on brid beans though, would it work with edamame beans instead?

@Blessex BROAD not Brid beans. We aren't that posh we have beans named after our town lol

@takeabrolly if it's a lose one turn it upside down and there should be a knobbly bit at the bottom. If you remove it and it's brown inside leave it, but if it's green it's good to go. You can also tell by texture as well. You want one that gives easily but not so soft that it's over ripe. Then again if you're slicing it rather than mashing it one that's a bit more firmer is probably more ideal

I can't always get broad beans so use giant haricot beans instead. They come tinned in the veg section or in jars in the foreign food section usually. The jars tend to be better value.
That said, I can't get edame beans locally at all.

A good quality ripe avocado (not over or under) will taste buttery and nutty. The poor quality ones are watery and blerrgh. It’s definitely not something you can have under or over ripe, it’s a bit Goldilocks like. I love smashed avo on sourdough with a poached egg on top. Also love it in salads to give a nice taste and also as various dips, guac being my favourite.

Deliciousness personified. For the novice avocado purchaser buy one marked ripe and ready then leave 24 hours at room temperature (they are never quite ripe but the ripen at home take 2 weeks often). It's soft and creamy when ripe, think good quality cream cheese, serve mashed with chopped ripe tomatoes, salt and black pepper on thick cut toasted bread or mash with chopped tomatoes, coriander, lime zest and juice, a red chilli, sea salt and some red onion for the best guacamole, and serve with tortilla chips

[quote BaronessBomburst]@MagentaDoesNotExist I'm reporting back on the halloumi.
It was delicious! The flour gave it a crunchy jacket and the oregano-warmed honey was divine. DS was shovelling slabs of the stuff into pita bread and declared it better than pizza. He's asked for it again for breakfast. (Not getting it. He can have Weetabix)

I think next time I'll use even more black sesame. I'm actually thinking about egging it properly and making a crunchy black sesame coating......[/quote]
So glad that you enjoyed it! It's one of my favourite things and reminds me so much of being in the Greek Islands which is a nice mental escape in the times of Covid. Wonderful that your DS enjoyed it so much, better than pizza is impressive! Your idea for the coating sounds brilliant.

If DS liked this he would, I expect, also be a fan of traditional Hungarian fried cheese. You can use cheddar to make a close approximation. Again cut into slabs or fingers, this time it goes in flour then egg then breadcrumbs. Fry on a high heat until the centre is all melted and breadcrumbs are golden. This is best served with rice, tartare sauce and pickles.

Expect all participating to enter a cheese coma shortly afterwards and be unable to move!

Btw for the Halloumi it's also really crunchy if you use semolina instead of the flour.

I'm in the ME, & my favourite local restaurant does halloumi fried with a coating of linseeds & flax seeds, served with chilli spiked fig jam. It's amazing! Probably easy enough to re-create at home but it's cheap to eat out here so I've never tried.

Avocados are a bit hit & miss here, but I do love them in smoothies. One avocado, tons of fresh berries, rayeb (local creamy soured milk - almost but not quite yogurt) & a good dessert spoon of oats - have that for brunch & you're definitely set up for the day. I whack some spinach in if I'm feeling virtuous.

[quote Graphista]@MagentaIsNotAColour I'm housebound almost 5 years, limited to supermarket offerings and before lockdown lacklustre Local takeaways (I'm in the arse end of nowhere can't even get decent Chinese!)

Hoping to turn things around and food is definitely a factor in motivating me!

What are people talking about when they say "pickles?" Do you mean picked gherkins? Eggs? Onions? Or Branston stuff?

In my case...allllllll the pickles. Everything from Branston to sauerkraut to pickled garlic even pickled fruit!

Re avocado - just spread on toast lavishly similar to as you would with cream cheese

Any kind of stuff covered in vinegar really

Yep! A lass after my own heart there

@QueenPawPaws my mum was a good plain cook but dad was army and both parents quite adventurous in terms of trying food when we ate outside of home, I think the only reason mum didn't cook more adventurously was lack of confidence. We didn't eat out loads except when living overseas and dads wage went further, both big fans of street food too. They'd encourage us to try things one proper mouthful at least and then if we didn't like it we knew and if we did great one more thing we liked to eat.
.[/quote]
Totally agree about all of the pickles! I love sauerkraut. Pickled onions, gherkins. Pickled jalapeños! Also homemade pickles, like pickled grated carrots. Or fine slices of cucumber pickled with white wine vinegar and dill and cumin seeds. Or red onions pickled with red wine vinegar and lime juice.

@CorvusPurpureus

I'm in the ME, & my favourite local restaurant does halloumi fried with a coating of linseeds & flax seeds, served with chilli spiked fig jam. It's amazing! Probably easy enough to re-create at home but it's cheap to eat out here so I've never tried.

Avocados are a bit hit & miss here, but I do love them in smoothies. One avocado, tons of fresh berries, rayeb (local creamy soured milk - almost but not quite yogurt) & a good dessert spoon of oats - have that for brunch & you're definitely set up for the day. I whack some spinach in if I'm feeling virtuous.

This sounds delicious!!!

Apologies @BriocheBuns that we have strayed a fair bit from your original question! Food can get rather exciting and I think I got a bit carried away.

I eat a lot of avocados.
They are bland if they are under ripe and awful if they are going off.
Tgey are creamy in texture and quite neutral so can be adapted to use as a sweet or savoury or added into smoothies with no noticeable taste but added creaminess.
Personally a quick favourite lunch is seeded toast, mashed avocados with a little salt and a squeeze of lime.