The name HASS - we see it in every grocery market marking the most common variety of avacado in the world. The chocolatey pebble-skinned avacado was named after its original cultivator Randolf Hass, a mailman with a green thumb in the late 1920s. He patented the variety and partnered with nurseryman Harold Brokaw, and rest of the story made California the source of what is now a billion dollar crop industry. The key to the Hass success is its long growing season, good quality fruit and high yielding crop.

It's that time of year to whip-up a good homemade guacamole, salsa and enjoy a margarita.

Turn any meal into a fiesta by serving guacamole as a healthy dip.

Guacamole is a delicious Mexican specialty that can be used as a dip, sauce, topping or side dish. In Southwest cuisine, guacamole is used as an appetizing dip or one of the toppings and/or fillings of enchiladas, tacos, tostadas, or burritos. Guacamole tastes best when you use fresh cilantro and ripened avocados. A ripened avocado will have a sweet aroma and be soft to the touch. Guacamole is also wonderful as a cold sauce for grilled meats or fish and this versatile, flavorful dish is easy to make, only sixty seconds onc you have ingredients chopped.

George’s ’60 Second Guacamole

From George Hirsch Living it UP! TV series

Recipe by George Hirsch | www.chefgeorgehirsch.com

makes 1 cup

2 ripe avocados, room temperature

Juice of two limes

2 Tablespoons sweet onion, chopped fine

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, deseeded and chopped

2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro

hot sauce and salt to taste

Press onion and garlic into the side of a medium size bowl with a pinch of salt. Slice avocados in half, remove the seed and scoop out avacado meat from skin with a large spoon. Roughly mash avocado in bowl.

Squeeze the lime juice all over the avocado. Add chopped jalapeno, chopped cilantro, and hot sauce. Toss and serve immediately.