Monday

Discovery of the day: Authentic California Cuisine

(Hmmm... not sure what happened to Friday.)

Here's a recipe for a quick-n-easy breakfast treat from my SO's youth. He grew up in Northern California (OK, Northeastern California). Avocados, asparagus, artichokes, and almonds were part of his native culture.

(I grew up in Indiana. I'm pretty sure I didn't taste any of those, excepting almonds, until I was in my twenties and living on the East Coast. Strange but true.)

He learned about this treat many years ago during that special time in a young man's life between college graduation and meaningful employment. A friend scored a paper grocery bag-full of avocados after the Santa Ana winds savagely attacked his aunt's avocado ranch. Yes, apparently they're called 'ranches', not 'farms'. Who knew?

Anyway, being young and poor and hungry and with the lack of self-control common to young men everywhere, mass quantities were consumed... until they discovered a condition they dubbed 'guaca-flatul-itus'. Apparently avocado farts are not to be suffered lightly. But rest easy; it won't be much of an issue unless you have a grocery bag-full of ripe avocados and the appetite of a 24 year old bachelor.

Avocado Toast

1 ripe avocado
2-4 slices buttered, toasted bread of your choice.
Salt & pepper

Mash the avocado. Spread a reasonable* amount on the toast. Sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste. Enjoy.

* 'Reasonable' will depend on your age, metabolism, and affinity for avocado. They are rather calorically dense, but so is peanut butter.

Another variation is avocado and cheese; use something sharp, like cheddar or monterey jack.

My son tried avocado toast (sans pepper) this morning for the first time and gave it a big thumb's up. Give it a try, you'll like it.