Avocados were a regular part of mealtime during my childhood. Growing up in Southern California where there are so many locally grown avocados, we were spoiled with a plentiful supply during avocado season. I’ve continued that trend with my own family, and my girls are total “avo-addicts.”
So when I returned home from Camp Blogaway in May with a bag of avocados, you can imagine that they were just a teensy weensy bit happy! Well this week they’ve had a 2nd dose of avocado euphoria, because on Monday I went down to Downtown Disney to attend the kick-off event of California Avocado Week, and of course, returned home with another bag of avocados (aka, “candy” if you’re talking to my girls).
The event started off with a cooking demo from Chef Nick Weber (executive chef at Catal Restaurant), who showed us how to make his signature California Avocado Crab Roll, complete with soy sauce pearls.
Imagine sweet dungeoness crab nestled in a cradle of creamy ripe California avocado slices, topped with a drizzle of lemon oil, fresh cilantro, and soy sauce pearls. The pearls look just like caviar, and provide the same briny pop in your mouth, but with the flavor of soy sauce. I’m headed to Tokyo, otherwise I’d be making this ASAP at home. But don’t worry, when I come back it’s on!
Then we had a musical interlude—musician David Wayne wooed us with dreamy classical guitar music.
The event finished off with a friendly guacamole making competition. Yes, yours truly somehow ended up on stage, and yes, I exhibited my dorky self! No, I didn’t win, but a local girl did! Go SoCal!
I’ve been playing with avocados all week, working on developing a recipe for chocolate avocado cake. The recipe isn’t ready yet, but we’ll get there! Oh darn, more avocados. Hee hee hee…
If you’re in the area, there are 2 more nights of California Avocado Week left! Head over to Downtown Disney for some delicious (free) fun!
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Looks like such fun! I adore California avocados. We love to have them on our burgers…can’t have a burger without them! Hope you have a nice holiday weekend!
Avocados AND chocolate? In the same dish? Now THERE’S something to love! Can’t wait until you perfect it!
I Love Avacados but no one else in my family does. Thats good because I don’t have to share and bad b/c I end up eating myself sick..lol. Made quacamole twice this week and ate the whole bowl in 1 sitting both times =) I can’t wait until you get that cake right!!! Awesome!
@alanecooke
oh my goodness. I <3 avocados & that CA avocado crab roll is calling my name.
That crab avocado roll is to die for…
Oh dear, that avocado event sounds so much fun! I love avocados and am anxiously waiting for the second they ripen (I have two trees in my backyard!!!!); Can’t wait for your recipe!
We had 3 avocado trees in our garden in New Zealand and they were so good. Not so lucky here in Australia but the local ones are very good. Haven’t seen any California ones. :(
Looking forward to the cake recipe. Enjoy Tokyo !
I hate that I live on the east coast when you post something like this. I adore avocados.
Oh I need to know the recipe for the crab roll. I buy something similar from our local D’Amico and Sons but not nearly as good I’m sure. Their’s has vegs in it which is fine but I want to make my own. I made a smoothie with a ripe avocado in it a couple weeks ago for me and my avocado hater husband, and didn’t tell him ’til after and he loved it. You (or he) couldn’t really taste it but it had such a rich, smooth feel and taste, and I know it was because of the avocado! Yumm!
That crab roll is absolutely outrageously beautiful. I shunned avocado as a kid…it was a foreign think my mom brought home from Texas that looked weird. I was not happy when I finally tried it…how do you recapture those lost years?
Now I am happy with slices on a plate with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar; I call it my Italian Avocado Salad!
I agree -California avocados are the best. I missed them horribly when I lived in New York as a young woman. The other avocados are just not the same.
Awesome post. Avocados make my life!
Ohh I love avocados so much. A bagful sounds like absolute heaven. I’ve wanted to try using one in a cake, it sounds so interesting – but of course you can’t go past the classic guacamole.
That dish with the soy sauce pearls looks stunning!
The avocado crab roll sounds amazing. I’ll send you some dungeness crab if you’d like when you get back from Japan.. have a great trip!!
P.S. I can’t wait to learn how to make soy sauce pearls!