Tonight, I’m thinking about the merits of “ultra-fresh” guacamole, either made table-side or upon order. Several well-regarded Valley Mexican restaurants profess to do this, and I find the trend kinda strange.
One reason for my irritation is the lazy extension of the “fresher is better” mantra. In my culinary and gustatory experience, the opposite is the case. Guacamole that has been allowed to sit refrigerated for a few hours has a much better flavor and texture. The acid from the vegetables and citrus begins to break down the avocado flesh, creating the desired texture, which is similar to what you want out of mashed potatoes: creamy, but not fully whipped.
Another lazy implication is that made-to-order is how they do it in the old country. Even at the finest purveyors of Mexican cuisine in the Valley, I find this tendency ridiculous. Mexico itself is a highly heterogeneous country, full of many different cuisines and styles of cooking. The region my family is from isn’t all that well known for avocados anyway, and the area is much too poor to be importing all that much fresh produce.
For those interested in guacamole, here is my rough recipe, with must-haves and suggestions for variation:
My standard recipe
5-6 avocados (the best texture is achieved with a potato masher or a big fork)
Juice of a couple limes (heat for 10 seconds in the microwave to extract more juice)
½ an onion (any onion will do, as long as its not green)
Handful of cilantro, stems removed and finely minced (there is nothing fun about getting a big leaf caught in your teeth or stuck to the roof of your mouth)
As much cayenne pepper or crushed chili tepin as you can handle
Salt and pepper, to taste
Variations
Chopped tomato, drained and seeded (the viscous part makes guacamole too runny)
Cumin, to taste (if you make tacos with a seasoning package, this will make it taste more Mexican-y)
A couple dollops of sour cream (especially if you are using guacamole as something other than a dip)
Garlic, finely minced (many would consider it essential, but I think it overpowers the mélange of mellow flavors that good guacamole should have)
Ranch dressing (this variant of guacamole makes the best BLT you have ever had)
