The fruit of the Avocado tree has grown in popularity all over the world in the past century. Even though people have cultivated it for thousands of years and transformed it into over 400 different
varieties, the tricky plant is still mostly grown in California and Central America and exported worldwide. In fact, there’s only one variety that dominates the world, the pebbly dark-purple-skinned Hass Avocado and it didn’t even exist a century ago.
The Avocado is a true native American fruit with a long and rich history, and it was a popular snacking option thousands of years before humans even started farming it.
“The avocado is a food without rival among the fruits, the veritable fruit of paradise.” - David Fairchild
The Origin of Avocado
The wild avocado trees flourished in tropical South America and Mexico millions of years ago in the Cenozoic era. Large ground animals like mammoths and giant ground sloths were the only ones who could eat the large fruit of the avocado whole and travel long distances before pooping out its
seed and dispersing the trees. However, when these animals mysteriously vanished 13000 years ago, avocados were also about to go extinct.
The wild avocado trees in those times grew as tall as 60 to 80 feet which was a height no hunter-gatherer tribe could afford to climb. Mesoamerican legends say that when a tribe in the Northern Amazons were roasting a hunted tapir, an avocado fruit fell from the tree and broke asunder. When the tribe found the fruit’s buttery flesh to be a great addition to their meal, it made the risky climb up the tree worth it and the avocado was saved from extinction.
The Evolution of its Name
The Mesoamerican tribes first domesticated the avocado in 5000 years ago. Archaeologists in Peru has found domesticated avocado seeds buried with Incan mummies dating back to 750 B.C. and there is evidence that avocados were cultivated in Mexico as early as 500 B.C. The fruit was extremely important for the Aztecs and Mayans as it provided sustenance and they believed it to have mythological powers. The fourteenth month of the Mayan calendar (K’ank’in) is represented by the avocado.
The Aztecs believed the fruit provided strength to whoever consumed it and promoted fertility for both men and women. This led to its growing reputation as an aphrodisiac when it was named ahuacatl which was the Nahuatl word for the male reproductive organs. When the Spaniards discovered the fruit from the Mexican tribes, it was not an appealing name nor was it easy to pronounce which led them to call it the aguacate. However, it was the Americans that would start calling it the Avocado.
Avocado in North America and USA
In 1833, avocados found their way to north America and USA, establishing farms in tropical havens such as Hawaii, Florida, and California. However, despite thriving in these regions, avocados faced a challenging reception in other parts of the country. A longstanding stigma surrounded the fruit due to its supposed aphrodisiac properties, rendering it taboo within the conservative American society. On top of that, the prevailing belief that fruits should be sweet worked against avocados, as they contain no sugar and lack a distinct taste.
It wasn't until the late 1950s that the tide began to turn for avocados. As nutritional knowledge advanced, particularly regarding the health benefits of this unique fruit, the Hass Avocado gained popularity as a part of salads.
The Birth of the Hass Avocado – A Postman's Accident
Until the 20th century, good quality avocados were known to have smooth thin skin and a bright green hue such as the popular Fuerte, Gwen or Zutano. However, today a green avocado is considered unripe and the prime choice is the pebbly and thick dark-purple skin of the Hass Avocado.
In 1926, a postman from California, Rudolph Hass, on one of his trips, brought a seedling home to plant in his orchard. He had planned to graft the plant into a new variety but his attempts never succeeded and the plant would not bear fruit. The impatient Hass wanted to cut down the tree but his children convinced him to just let it grow unattended. One day, a miracle happened and the children discovered fruit on the tree. It had a rough appearance compared to other varieties but they found the taste to be far better being rich, creamy and nutty.
It was a larger success commercially as the trees grew vigorously, were easy to propagate and provided a good yield of fruit by only the second or third year while also having a longer harvesting season. Its thick skin also proved superior in transporting it over a long distance. Since the quality was high and the tree gave a good yield, Hass named the variety after himself and took out a patent in 1935.
Avocado - A Culinary Delight
Avocados have a subtle nutty flavour but the fruit is more prized for its rich nutrients and smooth and creamy consistency. They are one of the most versatile ingredients, find their way into an array of dishes around the globe.
Avocado's can be elegantly sliced and presented on a cheese board alongside fruits, nuts, and cheese or enjoyed as a popular choice for breakfast or brunch when mashed. Avocados take on a new dimension of flavor as the all-time favorite Guacamole, seasoned with a mix of salt, lime juice, garlic, cilantro, red onion, tomatoes, and chilies Indonesians blend them into drinks with sweet condensed milk. Brazilians add it to ice cream. Californians put it in their maki sushi rolls. And a simple vegetable salad with lettuce and tomatoes instantly turns gourmet with just a few slices of avocado.
