Our 60-plus year old avocado tree is pumping out the fruit this season. She just hung on to those hua for the longest time before letting go, but now that they are falling, they are the BIGGEST, butteriest, most onolicious avocados I have eaten in many a year!

When I was a little girl, our dogs trained themselves to go and fetch avocados from the tree. At the sound of a fruit dropping, the dogs’ ears would fly up, and they would scramble toward the sound, the screen door flying open and slamming behind them as their claws skittered on the concrete. We would hear them crashing about in the bushes and then they would trot back in, proudly carrying their prizes.

My grandmother always let them have a few slices “to make their coats shiny” she said. Some premium brands of dog food even contain avocado or avocado oil, and avocado is used to treat dogs with certain skin conditions.

But we now know that in addition to the rich oils, avocados contain persin, a fungicidal toxin which is harmless to humans, but can cause problems in dogs and other animals. It appears that different varieties of avocado have varying amounts of persin, so while avocados from one tree may cause no problems, avocados from another could make a pet quite ill. We humans are quite a bit more omnivorous than many other species, so it’s a good idea to use caution when sharing “people food” with pets.

Nutritionally, avocados are an excellent choice for humans. They are packed with good-for-you fats, and 20 different vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, including 4% of the recommended Daily Value (DV) for vitamin E, 4% vitamin C, 8% folate, 4% fiber, 2% iron, 4% potassium, with 81 micrograms of lutein and 19 micrograms of beta-carotene – which is supposed to be really good for promoting eye health. Avocados also enable the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha- and beta-carotene as well as lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit. And they taste good, too!

If you happen to be blessed with your own, or a neighbor’s avocado tree, you know just how much fruit they can produce in a very short time. You begin the season by selling the fruits from lug boxes. Then you are giving them away. Then you are asking everyone who owns pigs if they need avocado. Finally, and with great regret, you start putting them in the compost.

Not so fast! How about treating yourself to a spa day? You can even invite friends over and make it a spa party! Once you are all coated with avocado, take turns giving each other foot and hand massages.  

Avocado Hair Treatment 

1 ripe avocado
1 T lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1 plastic grocery bag 

Blend ingredients well. Wash hair with a mild shampoo. Massage avocado blend into wet hair, especially thoroughly coating the ends. Also massage into scalp if scalp tends to be dry. Pull a plastic grocery bag over the hair, like a shower cap, to the hairline. Tie handles together at nape of neck, securing the bag. Wrap with a towel to trap the heat. Let set for 20 minutes. Rinse out with cool water. 

Avocado Facial 

1 ripe avocado
mild facial soap 

Mash well. Wash face with warm water and mild soap. Rinse. Smooth mashed avocado up throat and over face, avoiding eyes. Leave on 10 minutes. Rinse off. The timing works well if you treat the hair, then do the facial, then rinse out the hair.

What spa day would be complete without a special treat? Avocado Ice Cream is super simple to make, but tastes and looks so elegant, we’ll call it 

Frozen Avocado Creme 

1 ripe avocado, mashed
equal amount vanilla ice cream

Fold the avocado into the ice cream until it is well blended. Return to freezer to set. Serve in sherbet glasses.

Cooking with Avocado Leaves

Avocado leaves are used in some Mexican cooking to give a subtle and distinctive flavor to meats and poultry.  

Avocado Steamed Chile Chicken

Amounts given are per chicken breast 

1 chicken breast per person
½ chile guijillo
1 T olive oil
¼ round onion
1 clove garlic
salt
pinch ground cinnamon
pinch ground clove
1 cup chicken broth

Remove the skin from the chicken. Shred it with the chiles and saute them together in the olive oil. Add onion, garlic, salt, and spices. Let cool and then puree in a blender or food processor. Place chicken breasts in a plastic bag and add the spiced oil. Lomilomi, and allow to rest in the refrigerator over night.

On the steamer rack, place a layer of avocado leaves. Add the chicken and cover with another layer of leaves. Put the chicken broth in the steamer and add the rack and chicken. Cover and steam for about a half hour.

Remove the chicken and add the leaves to the broth. Bring to a boil and then remove from heat. Add the chicken to the broth and simmer another 5 minutes.

Serve the chicken on rice with several spoons worth of broth, and an avocado salad on the side. 

Avocado Salad 

½ ripe avocado per person
½ tomato per person
2 thin slices red onion per person
lemon juice to taste

Thinly slice the avocado, tomato, and onion. Arrange on a salad plate, and dress with lemon juice.

And a Meal 

Here is a family-pleasing meal that works well for pot-lucks and parties, too. Cornbread is, for our `ohana, a gotta-have when we make chili. Avocado adds a buttery richness to this classic “Three Sisters” meal. The “Three Sisters” are corn, beans, and squash. Grown together, the corn supports the beans, the beans add nitrogen for the corn and squash, and the squash protects the corn and beans. When harvested, the three plants can provide a nutritionally complete meal. 

Simple Chili

Any meat is good in this, including combinations of meat. So, you can save your leftovers and toss them in. This recipe is especially good with game. 

1 pound kidney beans (or canned beans)
2 pounds meat, chopped
6 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 ½ quarts water
¼ cup corn meal

If you are using dried beans, you may wish to soak them the night before. Whether or not you soak them, simmer them until tender before adding the other ingredients. Whether you use the cooking water in the chili, or pour it off and use fresh water is personal preference.

In a large Dutch oven, brown the chopped meat, then drain. Add seasoning and water. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour or until the meat is tender. Skim off any fat.

Stir in the beans and corn meal, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally. 

Squash

Of course you can serve the chili in a bowl with the squash on the side, but if you select your squash carefully, you can use the squash itself as a chili bowl. You can do this with so many different squashes including acorn, buttercup, turban, ambercup, carnival, fairytale, gold nugget, dumpling, and of course, the popular locally grown kabocha.

Simply cut the top off the squash as if you were making a jack-o-lantern. Fill the squash with the chili, and replace the “lid.” Bake or steam until the squash is tender, usually 40 to 45 minutes. 

Avocado Cornbread 

3 cups cornmeal
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 ½ cups buttermilk
2/3 cup corn oil
2 large eggs
1 avocado

Grease a sheet-cake pan or two 9-inch square baking pans. Sprinkle the surface with corn meal. Heat oven to 350°. Combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bow, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, and egg. Combine the two mixtures until blended. Peel an mince the avocado and fold the pieces into the batter. Pour into the pan and tilt or use a spatula to spread evenly. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned.

Whatever the weather, hot, cold, rainy, or not, there’s a perfect way to eat avocados!