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| My copy of My Key West Kitchen...mermaid optional. |
Florida citrus and seafood star in
chef Norman Van Aken’s new cookbook, “My Key West Kitchen.” From key lime pie to conch salad, Van Aken
and co-author Justin Van Aken tell the story of South Florida cuisine through recipes
and remembrances.
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| Justin and Norman Van Aken talking about great Key West food. |
In town for the
Atlanta Food & Wine Festival the father-son duo, shared their
kitchen secrets during a seminar dubbed “Conch Culture.” They describe Key West cuisine as a geographically
unique blend of Caribbean, Cuban and Southern cooking with a dash of American hippie
escapism.
Pulling fish from the sea and
plucking fruit from tropical trees cultivated in south Florida is only the
start of the Van Akens’ grocery list. But it got me thinking about the Florida
avocado.
Why Florida Avocados Deserve Attention, Too.
The great majority of the time, when
a recipe calls for avocado, it refers to the dark green pebbly skinned Hass
avocado grown predominantly in California and Mexico.
The flesh of the Hassavocado is rich and creamy tasting because of the high content of heart healthy
monounsaturated fats. Often misspelled
Haas, the varietal was named after Rudolph Hass and it rhymes
with “pass.”
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| Hass avocado on the left and Florida avocado on right with My Key West Kitchen conch salad |
Avocados grown in Florida are literally
a different breed. Twice as large as the palm sized Hass variety, the smooth
green skinned Florida avocado is lower in total fat and calories. An
ounce of Florida avocado has about 33 calories, whereas the richer California
variety packs about 50-calories per ounce.
Brooks Tropicals, a major grower in
the Sunshine State, smartly brands its Florida avocados the “SlimCado” to
call attention to the fact they have half the fat and third fewer calories than
their California competitors.
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| Starring the Slimcado! |
The season for Florida avocados kicks off in June (I just bought one at Publix in Atlanta) and Justin Van
Aken says, “I find that when they're good, they're great -- creamy and rich,
yet as light and refreshing as any good tropical fruit should be.”
Some folks they don’t like the
Florida avocado because it’s ‘too watery’ and ‘not as buttery’ as the Hass, but
others prefer the slightly sweet taste and lighter texture.
Nutritionally both varieties are
rich in potassium, vitamin E and folate but California avocados are higher in
heart healthy fats and Florida avocados are higher in vitamin C content. Van
Aken suggests, “A little salt, and
something acidic -- especially lime or pineapple -- to dress it, and you're good
to go. We make a salsa with them diced, along with mango, black beans, and
queso fresco that is out-of-this-world!”
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| Conch Salad extreme close up from photo in My Key West Kitchen, avocado in there. |
So, just as there are many
different types of oranges -from California navel to Florida’s Valencia -
variety is a good thing.
In My Key West Kitchen, recipes such as Crabmeat Stuffed in Avocado
call for Florida avocados first with a ripe Hass avocado as ‘optional.’
What do you think of Florida vs. Hass avocado? What's your favorite way to eat avocado?
(I like them all by themselves with a sprinkling of crunchy sea salt.)
