Last week I was invited to a special dinner at Frida Restaurant & Bar (Twitter: @FridaRestaurant, Facebook: Frida Restaurant & Bar). Hosted by Miss Ava Cado (@missavacado) of Avocados from Mexico, chef Jose Hadad of Frida took guests on a culinary journey with a delicious four-course meal featuring irresistibly rich and creamy Mexican avocados.
What you should know about Mexican avocados...
- The world’s first avocado was grown and cultivated in Mexico countless generations ago.
- Due to fertile volcanic soil, ideal climate and centuries of expert cultivation, Mexico remains the source of the world’s finest avocados.
- Mexico is the only place in the world where avocado trees naturally bloom four times a year.
Avocados in general are very nutritious because they are..
- High in monounsaturated fat or "good" fat: a diet high in monounsaturated fat from avocados has been shown to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol.
- High in potassium and deliver lutein and zeaxanthin: these are two phytochemicals that protects against cataract and macular degeneration.
- A great source of folate: folate is a B vitamin that keeps the DNA of your cells in good repair. Half of an avocado provides one-quarter of a day’s worth of folate (the recommended daily intake is 400 micrograms).
- An excellent source of fibre
Yes avocados are really, really good for you! The great thing is they are also very tasty :) Below is a recap of my evening where chef Jose utilized and incorporated this beautiful fruit in his four-course dinner for us.
- The world’s first avocado was grown and cultivated in Mexico countless generations ago.
- Due to fertile volcanic soil, ideal climate and centuries of expert cultivation, Mexico remains the source of the world’s finest avocados.
- Mexico is the only place in the world where avocado trees naturally bloom four times a year.
Avocados in general are very nutritious because they are..
- High in monounsaturated fat or "good" fat: a diet high in monounsaturated fat from avocados has been shown to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol.
- High in potassium and deliver lutein and zeaxanthin: these are two phytochemicals that protects against cataract and macular degeneration.
- A great source of folate: folate is a B vitamin that keeps the DNA of your cells in good repair. Half of an avocado provides one-quarter of a day’s worth of folate (the recommended daily intake is 400 micrograms).
- An excellent source of fibre
Yes avocados are really, really good for you! The great thing is they are also very tasty :) Below is a recap of my evening where chef Jose utilized and incorporated this beautiful fruit in his four-course dinner for us.
SALSAS WITH CHIPS
MARGARITA AND SANGRIA
APPETIZER: GUACAMOLE
Avocados, red onions, tomatillos, cilantro and corn tortillas
1ST COURSE: CEVICHE DE ATUN CON AGUACATE
Yellow fin tuna and avocado ceviche with tomato coriander, arbol chili oil and homemade potato chips
2ND COURSE: MINI TACOS DE CARNITAS
Slowly and gently braised duck "carnitas style", topped with fresh guacamole and pico de gallo salsa
3RD COURSE: FILETE AL ALBANIL CON HUITLACOCHE Y AGUACATE
Med-rare veal tenderloin with a Mexican "Bricklayers" style sauce topped with huitlacoche (Mexican corn truffle) and avocado
Chef Jose had several demos for us throughout the evening..they were all very educational, entertaining and interactive.
DESSERT: CHURROS DE LA CASA WITH AVOCADO-WALNUT ICE CREAM
Churros filled with goats' milk caramel, blueberry coulis and berries, topped with homemade avocado-walnut ice cream
Chef Jose's Mexican roots and style of cooking provided an unparalleled authenticity to avocados. Through his demos and of course my delectable dinner, chef Jose expertly showcased the flexibility, the different uses and benefits of this delicious fruit. This event really opened my eyes to all the creative and fun ways to enjoy avocados, beyond just guacamole!
*This meal was complimentary. The opinions and views expressed on this post are my own*
