Hass-pitality For The Holidays

HASS-PITALITY FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Leading Cookbook Authors Rozanne Gold & Diane Morgan
Offer Original Decadently Delicious Dips & Tips for Entertaining with
Healthful Hass Avocados from Mexico

December 2004 - With a 316% increase in sales of Mexican Hass Avocados over the past four years - this healthful fruit is clearly experiencing a very healthy trend.* And it's no wonder, Hass Avocados from Mexico can be used to prepare easy, quick, delicious and healthful dips ideal for holiday entertaining. As the holidays approach, people's thoughts turn toward celebrating with family and entertaining with friends. The Mexican Hass Avocado season is now in full swing, just in time for hosts to serve mouth watering Hass Avocado treats to reveling friends and family. Creating festive dips with Hass Avocados leaves a lot more time for entertaining and sharing with friends. Hass Avocados are one of the most versatile ingredients around, a favorite of chefs and cooks found in almost every style of world cuisine, they are absolutely perfect for dips and hors d'oeuvres.

"Dips such as Guacamole aren't just for Super Bowl Sunday or Cinco de Mayo, but are perfect for festive fare throughout the holidays and beyond," notes Diane Morgan, best-selling cookbook author, whose most recent book, Delicious Dips, is just out from Chronicle Books. She goes on to add that, "Hass Avocados taste fantastic and are quick and easy to work with - because they can be scooped, chopped and mixed with other ingredients in just a few moments." Dips are about sharing, which is what the holidays are all about. According to Chef Josi Andris (of Washington DC's renowned Jaleo and Cafi Atlantico) and Bon Appitit Magazine's Outstanding Chef of the Year, "personally, I love anything with Hass Avocados, and somehow, whenever the Guacamole is served - the party begins," notes Chef Andris.

Dip Tips & Helpful Hass Hints
"I love Avocados, they are healthy, delicious and great to work with," notes Best-selling chef and best-selling author Rozanne Gold (whose new book, Low Carb 1-2-3: The Low-Calorie, Low-Carbohydrate Cookbook is to be published January 2005 by Rodale). "When you have great ingredients, you don't need many of them to create delicious things. Ripe Avocados provide great 'mouthfeel' and are very good flavor carriers," notes Gold.

Rozanne Gold's tips for entertaining with Hass Avocados include:
- Always squeeze some citrus juice over Avocado to prevent blackening: lemon, lime or orange juice work well.
- Bring back "Stuffed Avocados" - perfect for a light lunch. Cut in half and fill with curried chicken salad, lobster salad, "Russian Salad".
- You can make an amazing sauce by pureeing ripe Avocado with ripe Mango. Great on Poached Chicken or Crab. (From Rozanne Gold's book Healthy 1-2-3 [Stewart, Tabori & Chang]).

Decadently Delicious Yet Healthful for the Holidays Also a favorite because of their many nutritional properties, Hass Avocados from Mexico are one of nature's nutrient-dense foods. They are a delicious addition to a healthy lifestyle: cholesterol-free, low in saturated fat, and high in potassium and folic acid. Avocados are rich in vitamins A, C, and E * - primary vitamins in the antioxidant group that help protect the cells in human tissue.

Hass Avocados from Mexico are in season in the US from mid-October through mid-April, available when domestic California Hass are dormant. They are held to very high standards - in addition to tightly government-regulated cleanliness standards in the groves, they pass through four points of inspection upon importation, assuring that the fruit is fresh and pristine for consumers. The Avocados move swiftly from the grove to the grocer, passing through customs in only 48 hours.



ORIGINAL RECIPES FR