Do you like guacamole?
By thorgrym
@thorgrym (675)
United States
January 26, 2009 11:13am CST
There once was a time when I would have answered that question, "EeEew, yuck! The mushy green stuff is awful."
Well, tastes change. I don't recall the circumstances, but at some point I developed a liking for guacamole. While it is not something that I ever crave, I will eat it when I have an opportunity to.
Yesterday, I took my family out to see a movie, Inkheart (I started a discussion on this in the 'watching movies' category). After the movie, we went to dinner at a local restaurant called Puerto Vallarta. While it is a franchise (there are two other Puerto Vallarta restaurants in about a 20 mile radius of us), our local one in Middletown serves excellent Mexican cuisine. We had a $10.00 off coupon that also gave us a free order of their new guacamole made right at your table!
Personally, I love table-side cooking! When I worked as a waiter, I worked in a fine-dining restaurant. We did a couple of table-side dishes - Caesar Salad and Bananas Foster were my favorites to make. It is a really nice touch for the waitstaff to interact with the patrons while preparing a dish for them right in front of their eyes.
Well, I am the only person in my family that would even consider eating guacamole, but it was free (normally $8.00 for the table-side service and dish), so I couldn't pass it up. Let me just tell you that this was the BEST guacamole that I ever tasted! I never realized how simple a dish it actually is. Avocado, a little salt, jalapenos (added to this recipe depending on your taste for spiciness), chopped onion, chopped cilantro, and diced tomatoes and that's is IT! Just lightly mash the avocado and blend it with the other ingredients and you have it.
Blown away!
So, what kind of dishes have you tried and liked that have surprised you?
1 person likes this
19 responses
@peavey (16936)
• United States
28 Jan 09
Well, here it is 3 o'clock in the morning; I've been reading this discussion and now I'm craving guacamole! I love it with tortilla chips. As someone else mentioned, avocados are expensive, so I don't get it often. I have to go to the store today, though, so maybe I'll get just one, enough for a little guacamole.
They're over a dollar each here, which is pretty expensive for produce. I love avocados and have been avoiding buying them at that price, but I think temptation jst won out.@thorgrym (675)
• United States
28 Jan 09
Don't you just hate those 3 AM cravings?!?!?
I guess that I need to price out avocados. Everyone says that they are expensive, but I honestly have no clue how much they even cost here. Given that it is winter and I am in Northeastern U.S., I am thinking that this is not the best time of the year to get a good value on avocado!
One thing this discussion has certainly done for me is increase my desire to use avocado and guacamole. I checked on the nutritional content of avocado, and I am more impressed with this fruit/vegetable than ever!
I guess that I need to price out avocados. Everyone says that they are expensive, but I honestly have no clue how much they even cost here. Given that it is winter and I am in Northeastern U.S., I am thinking that this is not the best time of the year to get a good value on avocado!
One thing this discussion has certainly done for me is increase my desire to use avocado and guacamole. I checked on the nutritional content of avocado, and I am more impressed with this fruit/vegetable than ever!
@aidenofthetower (1814)
• United States
27 Jan 09
I am definitely a fan of guacamole and at times I even crave it. It goes well on a variety of things as well. I have known for a long time that it is easy to make and that there are even a few things you can do for different tastes. However, I always have a hard time picking out good avocados and then when I do pick out one I think is good I have a hard time remembering to use it before it goes bad. You can also buy a seasoning mix that is really easy as well for super fast guacamole, as long as you don't have an avocado problem! Schwan's frozen food company also has a great option. They have avocados that have been frozen and filled with the mix in the center. You just take them out of the freezer, thaw, and mash to your desired consistency. Great for dip and adding to your cooking!
@mariposaman (2959)
• Canada
28 Jan 09
I read you can freeze your own avocados. I would puree it first and put it in small dollops on a non stick cookie tray or in ice cube trays, freeze and bag, so you can take out just as much as you want and it does not take all day to defrost. That way you can have your avocado supply ready and buy them when they are in season or on sale.
@loved1 (5328)
• United States
19 Feb 09
You and I must think alike. I would have never tried guacamole several years ago, but one time I went to a really good Mexican restaurant and voila! I love the stuff. Now I eat the guacamole that comes with my meal and my husbands share too (he hates it). Some is better than others, I like the kind that is not blended smooth. I would love to see it made table-side! My kids would think that was the coolest thing ever. Neither of my oldest kids will eat guacamole, but I just found out the other day that my 4 year old loves it! I ordered a side of guacamole and she ate the whole thing with chips. I couldn't believe it! How many little kids are willing to eat something green? lol
@thorgrym (675)
• United States
19 Feb 09
Yeah, green tends to be a deterrent to eating. I had a friend in college that would not eat anything that was green, nothing! Even if you took something that he normally ate and used food coloring to make it green, he wouldn't eat it.
Table-side cooking is a lot of fun to witness. I used to love to do it for my customers when I was a waiter. Not enough places offer the service.
@EvrWonder (3571)
• Canada
26 Jan 09
I have experienced changed tastes as well.
As recent as this last Friday.
I went for dinner with my sister and my Mom at my Mom's house.
My Mom made a roast of pork, with gravy, potatoes and vegetables.
She decided to make Yorkshire pudding as well.
Which isn't usually made with roast pork.
However, it was awesome.
What changed that day for me is that I do not really like roast pork but last
Friday night, that roast pork was the best I have ever had in my entire life.
It was amazingly delicious.
Makes my mouth water just thinking of it.
I have had table side service once. It was at a sushi restaurant. Very good and extremely interesting to watch.
I love guacamole. It is one of my favorite sauces.dips.
I enjoy it with potato chips but is my favorite with nachos.
Guacamole is very easy to make.
I have a Handy Chopper that makes the best guacamole ever.
We must be careful not to add too much cilantro or you could get turned off of cilantro for life.
Cilantro can be very over powering if used in excess.
I am glad that you had a nice evening out with your family.
It is really neat when we go out for the night and receive something complementary.
Nice.
Thank you for this discussion.
@EvrWonder (3571)
• Canada
27 Jan 09
Hi There, you are most welcome.
It is a wonderful show indeed. I have seen it taking place from afar.
You have Never had Yorkshire Pudding? Ever?
If you ever make it, the secret is to have all ingredients at room temperature before you begin and have the bacon fat HOT Hot Hot.
Yes, that Cilantro, a little goes a long way.
thank you for your comment!
@thorgrym (675)
• United States
27 Jan 09
Mmmmm...roast pork. Love it. I have never had the opportunity to try Yorkshire Pudding, however.
Table-side service is a lot of fun. We often go to a local Japanese hibachi grill, Oyama. This is where you actually sit around the grill where the chef prepares your meal right in front of you. They usually make a good show of it, too! It is a great experience - and great food!
Cilantro can be very over-powering - and it doesn't take too much, either.
Thanks for the reply!
@makingpots (11915)
• United States
27 Jan 09
Oh man, I love guacamole made table side like that. Mmmmmmm, mmm!!
And the only time I've had Bananas Foster made table side was at the restaurant in New Orleans where (I believe) they were developed. Brennan's. Best stuff EVER!
But to answer your question, oysters. I just knew I would spit them right back up but instead they became one of my favorite things.
Aversion to seafood????@thorgrym (675)
• United States
27 Jan 09
I couldn't tell you about the origins of Bananas Foster, so I will accept your story until proven otherwise.
:)
If Bananas Foster isn't table side, it loses a lot of the appeal. Gotta love the flambe!
My aversion to seafood just won't let me even look at oysters, much less eat them. It is nice that you were able to find a new favorite, though! Trying new things sometimes pays off.
Excellent!
@shamsta19 (3224)
• United States
27 Jan 09
Guacamole is the nastiest crap in the world. I just wanted to break the continuity. I love guacamole. It is great for dips and tacos, nachos, etc. I have loved avocado since I was young so it was a natural progression for me though.
Some of the other dishes I have tried and liked were Sushi of course. I have been eating sushi since Junior High School. I can't get enough of it! I have tried Squid and Octopus before as well. Not a big fan of either though, too rubbery.
I will try almost anything once. As long as it is not pork and can pass my sniff test, I am down to try it though. Fish and Grits was new to me before 2000!
How about some ackee and saltfish? I love that one too? Didn't know what ackee was before 1998!
@shamsta19 (3224)
• United States
27 Jan 09
I don't eat pork for religious reasons as well. Plus it is just a nasty animal to begin with.
Fish and grits (or salmon and grits) is about the closest thing I can get to ackee and saltfish down here in the south. Ackee is a vegetable. It is kind of like slimy scrambled egg. It really has no flavor by itself but when mixed with saltfish it is the best thing to eat for breakfast, in my opinion. I couldn't get enough of the stuff back home. http://www.jamaicans.com/cooking/traditional/ackee.shtml
Its Jamaican food but I grew up eating stuff like this!!!
@thorgrym (675)
• United States
27 Jan 09
Hah! I am surprised that no one has come forward against guacamole and meant it, yet. I really hated the stuff when I first tried it. So odd that I like it now, or even gave it another chance.
I agree on the octopus, never tried squid though - figured it would be about the same...
A lot of people don't eat pork for religious reasons, any particular reason that you don't? I don't think that it has a bad flavor on its own, but maybe you tried a poorly prepared pork dish and have an aversion?
Grits just don't have an appeal to me, though I can't say that I don't like them. I am not a fish fan at all, so Fish and Grits would not be my first choice. Interesting combo, though!
Never heard of ackee, myself. What is that?
Thanks for the reply!
1 person likes this
@palonghorn (5479)
• United States
26 Jan 09
I have loved guacamole since I lived in South Texas. Of course living in Pa at the moment, I have to make my own. Which is fine, you can't find good mexican food up here. lol. I normally add onions, rotel tomatoes, or chop my own tomatoes and add some salsa to it. I'll be moving back south of the Mason-Dixon line in a month or two.......and closer to good mexican food! lol
@snowy22315 (180703)
• United States
27 Jan 09
Yes, i am a fan of guacomole. Avocado is really good for you and is very high in vitamin A. I like guacamole for that very reason. it is also extremely tasty to have with tortilla chips. I have been a fan of it for a very long time ever since I have been eating mexican food. I don't always order it but many times I will have it.
@thorgrym (675)
• United States
27 Jan 09
Actually, your post inspired me to look for the nutritional information of the avocado! While it does not list Vitamin A specifically, it does contain beta carotene which is a pre-cursor to Vitamin A in the body. This is actually better than Vitamin A, itself as Vitamin A can reach toxic levels if too much is consumed. Beta carotene is only converted to Vitamin A as needed in the body. Besides which, beta carotene is also beneficial to the body in many ways that Vitamin A is not.
For those interested in the full details of the avocado, check out this website:
http://www.avocado.org/healthy-living/nutrition
Excellent!
@Bethany1202 (3431)
• United States
26 Jan 09
MMMM!! Yes I love guacamole! I also like fresh avocado. It's great on salads, burgers (veggie burgers for me), and by itself!
It's also good with beans in dips, Mexican dishes, and many other recipes. Yum. Now I want some!
I'm glad you've developed a taste for it. Although avocados are high in fat, it's the GOOD type of fat and has a great deal of fiber and vitamins, plus it lowers cholesterol. :-)
@taface412 (3175)
• United States
26 Jan 09
I once tried sushi....swore I would never do this, because the idea of raw fish makes me gag. I have a hard time with fish anyhow....but I have to say I liked it. Not that I would go out of my way for it, but at least I tried it and it wasn't bad may have it again one day.
@mariposaman (2959)
• Canada
27 Jan 09
That sounds tasty. That is one dish that I have never tried. The others are lobster, sushi the raw fish kind, and raw oysters. I think I will pass on the raw animal products as I am afraid of getting something nasty, but that guacomle sounds healthy and tasty. I recently acquired a taste for salsa as I had some free coupons for it and it is also healthy and tasty.
Lobster I might try, the price apparently is coming down as people cannot afford they price of it anymore with the recession. I just cannot think of dropping a living thing into a boiling pot of water.
@thorgrym (675)
• United States
27 Jan 09
Salsa is great stuff! I recently tried a pineapple salsa, and it was really good. It was Newman's Own brand and had a 'medium' spice rating. I made my own salsa once in a while, too.
I am with you on the raw animal products...just not for me. Any meat I eat has got to be cooked!
I still can't bring myself to eat lobster (or crab for that matter), but I recently tried scallops and found that they were pretty good. My youngest daughter likes them, so we bought some for her. When I was cooking them, I had to try one to make sure that they were cooked correctly. They are pretty good, actually.
Because of your name, I have to ask you if you have ever heard the joke about butterflies where several people from different countries are discussing how their name for butterflies is the most beautiful... I don't remember it exactly, and I don't want to butcher it. I tried to search for it online just now, but can't find it...
@LivnLovnNLernn (33)
• United States
27 Jan 09
Talk about taste changes!! I've done almost an about face with taste. When I was younger, you could not get me to eat any vegetables at all. Well, except corn and coleslaw. But now there are hardly any you can keep away from me. Until about 2 or 3 years ago, I still didn't like Sweet potatoes, oh but then I discovered Sweet Potato Fries. Now, to me, they're to die for. I have them at least 2-3 times a month. This last month or so I've even gotten a taste for Baked Yams and brown sugar.
When I was growing up my Mother had us all convinced we were "ALLERGIC" to LIVER.
Well, guess what!? It took almost tying me down to taste it, but when I did I loved it!! My Husband was the same way, but I convinced him to try some PORK LIVER. It's really the best to try first. Now, he almost begs me to make it for him.
So yes, there is such a thing as "The Great Taste Bud Change With Age".
HAPPY TASTE HUNTING YA ALL!!
@thorgrym (675)
• United States
27 Jan 09
Heh, I had a similar experience with asparagus. My parents told us that we wouldn't like it, so don't even bother to try it. Asparagus was always really expensive, so they just didn't want us to like it. Turns out, I love asparagus!
Sweet potatoes ROCK! ...but adding brown sugar is just too sweet for me. I love the fries, though. A local grocery store makes sweet potato chips fresh every day. They are wonderful.
@stargirl85 (218)
• United States
27 Jan 09
My mom is on a diet and while her husband eats ice cream after dinner she eats guacomole. Im not sure if this is diet food or not but she loves it. The last time I went over to her house I tried guacomole for the first time. I actually really did like it and I thought for sure I wouldnt. Just goes to show sometimes we should try new things.
@thorgrym (675)
• United States
27 Jan 09
I am not sure that it is a suitable food for a diet, but it might also depend on what you are eating with it. Certainly, eating chips with the guacamole would not be terribly suitable. While guacamole is a little on the high-fat side, the fats are good fats. We do need some fat in our diets, so as long as it is in moderation, your mom might be fine with it.
I have to admit that it does not have the most appetizing appearance!
You are right, though - sometimes we need to try new things.
:)
@inkyuboz (1392)
• Mandaluyong City, Philippines
27 Jan 09
Do I like Guacamole? No.
I LOVE guacamole. Haha. My mom and dad don't like it, but my two sisters eat guacamole as much as I do. I just love the tangy, spicy and unique flavor guacamole brings to the table. When I first discovered this awesome food, I didn't know it was avocado! LOL.
Seriously, everyone should try guacamole. Especially with their tacos.
@gtargirl (5376)
• United States
26 Jan 09
OH, I love guacamole!!!! The dip is to die for too. I'm glad you had that coupon, otherwise you might have never taken the opportunity to try this tasty side-dish/dip. Mom and Dad took me out to a fancy restaurant once and made me try the duck. It was a little squishy but I was really surprised at how much I liked the taste. Not bad.
@thorgrym (675)
• United States
26 Jan 09
Somehow, I knew you would be the first responder to this discussion!
I had their guacamole before, but the normal not-made-at-table-side version. At less than half of the price of the table-side guacamole, I would normally have opted for that. While I like it, I would not have shelled out $8.00 for it when I could get it for $3.50. Honestly, I probably wouldn't have ordered it separately at all, just getting it as small serving that garnished my meal. I am not sure if the normal order is the same now, simply lacking the table-side preparation, but this was a huge difference from the guacamole I ate there the last time we went before they offered the table-side service.
I like duck. It is a little oily, but otherwise good.
@explorations (1712)
• United States
26 Jan 09
Yes, I like guacamole - especially when I dip thick steak fries into it. YUM! I was surprised the first time I tried shrimp scampi. I know it's a relatively common dish in some households, but I typically HATE shrimp. Ick. It's a bug that lives in the ocean - blah. Anyway, I tried it after some gentle coaxing and now it's one of my favorite meals. Go figure!
@thorgrym (675)
• United States
26 Jan 09
As long as the steak fries aren't soggy, that sounds good! I can't stand soggy fries, though. They need to be nice and crispy on the outside and still tender inside.
Shrimp is something that I still can't stomach. When I worked in the restaurant, the chef used to throw a lot of things my way to try. For one of the banquets we hosted, he made a shrimp appetizer. The plate had three different types of shrimp. I remember that one was coconut-crusted and another was in a peanut sauce. I don't recall the third... Anyway, the chef pushed a plate my way suggesting that I try it. Well, not to be rude, I ate it...or at least tried to. Nope, still don't like shrimp!
:)
A bug that lives in the ocean is the best description that I have ever heard! Excellent.
@irishidid (8687)
• United States
26 Jan 09
I love guacamole. I usually make my own, but the price of avocados is outrageous. We used to go to a restaurant that served it but the portion decreased while the price increased.
Your ingredients sound good but I'd personally leave out the jalapenos and add a squeeze of lime.
@thorgrym (675)
• United States
26 Jan 09
Yeah, the jalapenos were added to taste. Mild would have left them out; Medium - the way I ordered it - had a little bit added; and Spicy would have added more.
I forgot the lime! That was in there too.
I haven't even shopped for avocados, so I have no idea how bad their prices are. I am not sure that I would even bother given that I am the only one that likes guacamole. Maybe for the next time we have company over, I will make some guacamole now that I realize how easy it is.
@Carolyn63 (1403)
• United States
26 Jan 09
I love guacomole. Avacadoes are full of fat, but the good kind. My sisters in law spent part of their childhood in California and talk of eating them right from the tree.
As far as something that I tried and was surprised I liked. Well, I didn't get it from a restaraunt but rather an older gentlemen that grew up when what you caught Mom cooked. He actually brought me squirrell dumplings. Yes, I said squirrell. And it was pretty tasty.
As far as restaraunt food, well I finally tried sushi a few years back and really was surprised that I like it.
@thorgrym (675)
• United States
26 Jan 09
I used to think that guacamole was made with oil because everyone complained about the fat, but you are correct when you say 'the good kind' of fat. Unsaturated fat can actually be good for you! It is the saturated and the trans-fats that we need to avoid.
I lived in Florida for a couple years as a kid. When I was there, I tried all sorts of things - alligator, rattlesnake, and other not-so-common meats. Later, when my family moved to Cape Cod, I had a friend that did a lot of hunting. Because of him, I have eaten venison, rabbit, and squirrel. As far as sushi goes, I still can't bring myself to eat raw fish. I am OK with the avocado, cucumber, and carrot rolls, though.
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
26 Jan 09
I have never really been nuts about guacamole but I think it may be because I've never had good guacamole. It's always been processed crap from a jar! I would like to try some real, fresh stuff and see if that changes my mind. One thing I had dismissed for years as something I didn't really care for was pepper. I don't know why I thought I didn't like it. One day a few years ago I tried it on something and realized that I LOVE pepper and now I put in on almost everything.
@thorgrym (675)
• United States
26 Jan 09
I think that was my problem, too...jarred/canned guacamole really is just mushy green stuff. It wasn't until I tried it fresh that I started to like it. Even still, I have had some pretty lousy guacamole since I discovered that I could actually like it.
I use pepper a lot, too. I like fresh peppers of all types as well as the standard ground black pepper.
