Oh, guacamole, let us count the ways. Everywhere you go, if anyone says one thing about hating avocados, everyone goes crazy. It is a little better know here in Oregon than say California, but nonetheless, that seems to be the usual census. If you say that you hate guacamole it is twice as worse. Why not take your head off for them? This powerful dip is used on everything. From dipping chips, dalloping on soup, or crowned on every Mexican dish known to man, it’s still as popular as ever. It has a some what simple yet expressive history that explains much about this exotic and flavorful dip.
If there is anything one can say for certain about guacamole is that the Aztecs invented it. The emperor Montezuma had one woman on his whole staff whose specific job in the palace was to be in charge of preparing the guacamole or as they called it “ahuacamolli.” As a side not the original word comes from two specific words: ahuacatl (meaning testicle) and molli (meaning mashed into a paste like substance). Don’t know where that one came from. The point is that guacamole was the emperor’s most important dish. They prepared it back in the day with just avocados, tomato sauce, green chilies, and sea salt. It was then served on a very special platter and placed before the powerful Montezuma by a young woman. The way Montezuma liked it was dipping his soft tortillas in the said mixture.
When the Spainards encountered the Aztecs in the 1500s the Aztecs were selling a sauce, “ahuacamulli” in the markets. Naturally the Spainards stole the ideas and brought them back to Spain. Which was odd since avocados didn’t grow so well there making fresh guacamole obsolete. Making guacamole was then a purely New World food. Travelers and sailors from all over ate it in ports. They would spread it on their hardtack and it became nicknamed “midshapman’s butter.” If you are wondering how the word “ahuacamolli” became “guacamole” it is because the Spainards couldn’t pronounce the Aztec word and therefore they morphed the word into something that they could say making the word “guacamole.”
The Spainards can be credited for incorporating onions, cilantro and lime juice into the dish. Spain also had the advantage of making fried tortilla chips to dip into the guacamole as opposed to the soft tortillas that Montezuma knew.
Now in our modern age there are many different flavors of guacamole due to all the varieties of avocados available today. There are many new ones like the Criollo which actually has an anise like flavor and is grown specifically in Mexico. In 1911 a California nursery went to Mexico and brought back clippings of the avocados there and made the California avocado industry what it is today. Although Hass is the most popular variety, the one you see most in stores. Forbidding of importation of avocados from Mexico made the precious avocados the price they are today.
When someone creates an internationally known food I’m sure they never knew what acclaim that dish would eventually get. That’s what is so great about food. Born out of necessity, dishes become something to enjoy and delight in. And guacamole is definitely one of those dishes….a dish meant for royalty.
“Montezuma’s Revenge: A Guacamole”*
Ingredients: 2 jalapeno chilies, dash of pepper, tortilla chips, 2 ripe large avocados, 1 clove of garlic finely chopped, ½ cup of chopped medium onion, 1 tbs of lime juice, 1 tbs of lemon juice, 1 and ½ cups of 2 medium tomatoes, 2 tbs finely chopped cilantro, and ½ tsp of salt.
1) Remove stems, seeds and membranes from the chilies and then chop them. Cut the avocados lengthwise in half and remove the pit and peel. Mash the avocados in a bowl with a fork.
2) Stir in the chilies and remaining ingredients except for the chips. Mix well.
3) Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to blend the flavors and serve with the tortilla chips.
4) Enjoy all that flavorful history rushing in.
* Base of recipe from Betty Crocker and then was molded from there.
Sources for Article: www.burritophile.com/articles/2006/02/quick-history-of-guacamole.php and www.mexicofile.com/holyguacamole.htm.
