While grabbing a quick bite in one of Miami’s many small local restaurants, it did not take me long to realize that I was sitting in yet another establishment that aims hard to give off a “supporting local” vibe. Don’t get me wrong, as a South Florida native I encourage everyone to support our wonderful local community BUT unfortunately there are a lot of phonies out there not practicing what they preach. As I browse through their menu I find that the avocados being offered in their dishes are Haas avocados. I have absolutely nothing against Haas avocados, on the contraire, I think they are buttery and delicious but they are from the Western United States and considered the original Mexican avocado; Haas has grown in demand
Living in Miami I’ve been blessed in having the opportunity to meet a lot of growers and farmers, I’ve also personally seen 19 different Avocado groves in Homestead, meaning local restaurants and chefs have no reason to seek avocados from the West coast with so much variety in a 25 mile span. I recently made a Donnie avocado guacamole and compared the taste to a “Freshly Made” store bought guacamole; the difference was huge! I took the fruit from my uncle, Tio Guilles grove in the Redlands. My mom didn't believe that her son made such a good guac.
In South Florida, we can grow 26 different of avocados in our backyard. Varieties like ‘Brookslate’ and “Monroe” which is one of the last to fruit in the season. The ‘Monroe’ was actually discovered in Homestead, Florida in the 1930’s. It’s a hybrid between a West Indian and Guatemalan variety, with a most noticeable characteristic- its cold hardiness. Another great tasting avocado is the Donnie, harvested in late May through June.
Stay tuned for tips in guiding you to find your favorite avocado variety.