Photos from Avocado Fest 2010.

I've been experiencing a new kind of joy lately. It involves preparing food while wearing pajamas (or, whatever, really; rags) while listening to my "Favorites" playlist on iPod. Some dancing.

This is a direct result of attending Avocado Fest in Carpinteria. Upon my return home, suddenly having many pounds of avocados in-house that are going to ripen at... oh, the same time. The pressure was on. The major notable culinary thing, besides the $3.50 peanut butter cup, is the sampling of the best guacamole I have ever tasted. So logically my goal was to use the avocados to approximate the fest guac; I had a week to figure it out.

There are basics. Red onion. Cilantro. Citrus. Spice. Tomatoes. In overlapping quantities. I found myself running back to the market with some regularity. I didn't want to wait in line though for one item--like, jalapenos--so I'd load up on other things too. Eggplant on sale? Oh, more chips for the guac. So, this is a rare sight: actual food in the house. Not junk food (except the chips), but actual recognizable food. And I've been cooking this food. What am I taking away from this? Avocados make the world better.

Good stuff!

Photos from AVOFEST...

Love this color. This made some very good dips. 

Less creamy than a Haas which is the common variety here in California. Everyone at Fest was comparing against the Haas. In fast food shorthand, making something "California" pretty much means add avocado. In the same manner, "Southwest" means adding some kind of roasted pepper and "Hawaiian" means pineapple. For a state that is often synonymous with avocados, we eat mostly from only a handful of varieties [outside Carpinteria].

And speaking of good color...

It looks like Thai eggplant shapes with rich eggplant color!

Haas. Topa topa behind that.

Avocado Guy.

chicken taquitos.

The avocado sauce on these couldn't touch the guac I bought (which I inhaled before getting a good photo of) but it was good. I was drinking Blue Moon too. And tropical juices served in hollowed out pineapples. And eating huge tacos... I'm totally going back next year.  

You should come with me. There is live music and vendors and food. More of the obvious--they are really good at sticking with the theme. 

More photos on my Flickr.