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June 29, 2012
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Vol. IV, No. 13
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Next week, put a little green in your red-white-and blue menus. California avocados, grown by nearly 5,000 farmers across the state, are versatile and easy to serve in a starring role at picnics, cookouts, and family reunions throughout the summer season. Think of them as a must-have ingredient to accompany grilled foods, salads, and sandwiches. Their creamy flavor is a winner in fresh, homemade salsa, and the perfect partner for summer fruits such as blueberries, strawberries, or watermelon.
Try avocados in several different ways. They're equally delicious sliced, diced, or mashed. Wondering if an avocado is ripe? Gently squeeze the fruit in the palm of your hand. If it yields to gentle pressure, it's ready to eat. To speed ripening, place an avocado in a paper bag with an apple at room temperature for two or three days.
Avocados are naturally sodium and cholesterol free, and a source of important, heart-healthy fats.
Master the Nick and Peel Method
The greatest concentration of beneficial carotenoids is in the dark green fruit of the avocado closest to the peel. Follow these steps to get every bit of goodness from a ripe avocado:
1. Wash the avocado
2. Carefully cut the avocado in half lengthwise around the seed
3. Rotate the avocado � turn and cut lengthwise around the seed again.
4. Separate the quarters and remove the seed
5. Starting at the tip, carefully peel each segment
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 Explore our
Newly Redesigned
Oldways Website
It may feel like meeting old friends who are wearing new clothes!
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Grilled Chicken with Avocado 
Red, White, and Blueberry Salsa
Add some color to the Fourth of July or to any summer holiday party menu by topping savory, marinated grilled chicken with a festive fruit salsa. Serve leftovers atop as green salad or use as a delicious layer of flavor in a wrap.
Photo courtesy of California Avocado Commission
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Avocado-Watermelon Salsa 
A combination of spicy and sweet, creamy and cool, this salsa is simply delightful and complements the flavors of many other foods. Serve with corn or pita chips, or use it as a tasty accent for grilled fish or vegetables.
Photo courtesy of California Avocado Commission
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Avocado Sorbet 
Here's a decidedly different way to make avocados part of your summertime meal. Be sure to allow several hours for the mixture to freeze almost solid before pureeing to create a smooth, full texture.
Photo: iStockphoto
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Fresh Fridays is a bi-weekly celebration of Mediterranean eating and living. We hope our Friday recipes will remind you just how easy and delicious eating the Mediterranean way can be.
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 Opa! The Big Fat Greek Festival
Frenchtown, New Jersey
July 29 - July 1, 2012
Enjoy plenty of tasty Greek food, including souvlaki, meze platters, spanakopita, and pastitsio, plus food demos. The authors of Three Sisters Around the Greek Table will be on hand to sign copies. |
The New Middle Eastern Vegetarian
By Sally Butcher Discover Veggiestan--how everyday ingredients, paired with aromatic herbs and spices, can bring haunting new flavors to your table. |
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