Guacamole

Guacamole
Origin

Place of origin	Mexico
Details
Type	Dip
Main ingredient(s)	Avocados
Variations	Mantequilla de pobre

Guacamole (US /ɡwɑːkəˈmoʊliː/; Spanish: [wakaˈmole] or [ɡwakaˈmole]), is an avocado-based sauce that originated with the Aztecs in Mexico.^[1] In addition to its use in modern Mexican cuisine it has also become part of American cuisine as a dip, condiment and salad ingredient.^[2]^[3] It is traditionally made by mashing ripe avocados with a molcajete (mortar and pestle) with sea salt. Some recipes call for tomato, onion, garlic, lime juice, chili, yogurt and/or additional seasonings.

1 History
2 Guasacaca
3 Mantequilla de pobre
4 Commercial products
5 See also
6 References
7 External links

History

Guacamole was made by the Aztecs as early as the 16th century.^[1] The name comes from an Aztec dialect via Nahuatl āhuacamolli [aːwaka'molːi], which literally translates to "avocado sauce", from āhuacatl [aː'wakat͡ɬ] ("avocado") + molli ['molːi] ("sauce").^[1] In Mexican Spanish it is pronounced [wakaˈmole], in American English it is sometimes pronounced /ɡwɑːkəˈmoʊliː/, and in British English sometimes /ˌwækəˈmoʊliː/.

Early recipes from the California Avocado Advisory Board (Calavo), published in the 1940s, were accompanied with a pronunciation suggestion: "Say Huakamole". Later marketing tried to create a "luau" or Pacific Island image of the avocado in the 1960s, and a Spanish or Mediterranean image in the 1970s. Guacamole has pushed avocado sales to 30 million pounds on two days a year, Super Bowl Sunday and Cinco de Mayo.^[4]

Guasacaca

Thinner and more acidic,^[5] Guasacaca is a Venezuelan avocado-based sauce; it is made with vinegar,^[6] and is served over parrillas (grilled food), arepas, empanadas and various other dishes. It is common to make the guasacaca with red chili peppers instead of tomato and jalapeño, as a hot sauce is frequently offered in a separate container.

Mantequilla de pobre

Mantequilla de pobre (translated as "poor-man's butter") is a mixture of avocado, tomato, oil, and citrus juice. It predates the arrival of cattle in the Americas.^[2]

Commercial products

Prepared and fresh guacamoles are available in stores, often available refrigerated. The non-fresh guacamole that is most like fresh is preserved by freezing or sometimes high pressure packaging.^[7] Other non-fresh preparations need higher levels of fillers and artificial preservatives to be shelf stable.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Zeldes, Leah A. (November 4, 2009). "Eat this! Guacamole, a singing sauce, on its day". Dining Chicago. Chicago's Restaurant & Entertainment Guide, Inc. Retrieved November 5, 2009.
^ ^a ^b Beard, James; Bittman, Mark (September 4, 2007). Beard on Food: The Best Recipes and Kitchen Wisdom from the Dean of American Cooking. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. pp. 86–87. ISBN 978-1-59691-446-9. Retrieved March 14, 2012.
^ Smith, Andrew F. (May 1, 2007). The Oxford companion to American food and drink. Oxford University Press. pp. 144–146. ISBN 978-0-19-530796-2. Retrieved March 14, 2012.
^ Charles, Jeffrey (2002). "8. Searching for gold in Guacamole: California growers market the avocado, 1910–1994". In Belasco, Warren; Scranton, Philip. Food nations: selling taste in consumer societies. Routledge. pp. 131–154. ISBN 0-415-93077-4. Retrieved September 20, 2011.
^ "Caracas Calling". New York Press (Manhattan Media). July 13, 2004. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
^ Serpa, Diego (1968). "Avocado Culture in Venezuela" (PDF). California Avocado Society 1968 Yearbook 52: 153–168. ISSN 0096-5960. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
^ Steve Connor (February 5, 2000). Eureka! Scientists discover how to keep guacamole green. The Independent