Guest Post: Joanne of Eats Well With Others

As I am currently in China attempting to mangle Mandarin when I speak, I am very happy to introduce guest poster Joanne of Eats Well With Others! I don’t even remember how I discovered Joanne’s blog … maybe I followed my nose to the delectable dishes she is always cooking up? Or, followed the laughter of fellow Eats Well With Others readers as they read Joanne’s witty posts? Either way, I’m so glad I found her blog because this gal is da bomb (did I just date myself? Oh yes, I did. Boy bands, forever!). I’ve already waxed poetic about how awesome Joanne is in this post, but it’s worth repeating: this gal is smart. And she can cook. And she rocks.

***

You know how old I was when I discovered avocadoes?

19.

That’s right. It took me 19 years to discover the brilliance of this vibrantly green fruit.

You heard me right. Fruit. I was shocked too.

When I think back on what I like to call “the dark ages” of my avocado-less existence, a few questions come to mind.

What was I doing for all that time? Why so many wasted years?

And. More importantly. How many avocadoes can I possibly eat now in the name of making up for lost time? Calories don’t count when you’re making up for lost time. It’s been proven.

I think my distaste for the almighty avocado stemmed from one very key fact.

It. Is. Green.

Not really a problem in and of itself until you consider the fact that I was one of those kids who started seizing at the sight of a crown of broccoli. (Nowadays. Forget it. Broccoli and I are bosom buddies. We have matching tattoos on our lower backs. Basically. We’re close.)

What is it about the color green that it spurs such an aversion among the pre-pubescent?

I’ve thought long and hard about this. Actually. And the only thing I could come up with is a certain song sung by a certain green talking frog about how “it’s not easy being green.” (Yes Kermit. I’m talking to you.) Not to make mountains out of molehills or anything. But I feel like maybe this song gets into your head as a kid. So much so that you end up associating green with hardship. Loneliness. Sadness.

It’s really the only explanation that I can come up with.

Other than that maybe all children are born with some kind of a genetic abnormality that predisposes them to dislike anything that is verdant in any way.

One that gets reversed one day in your late teens when you wake up and realized that you’ve just spent most of your college career eating double-stuffed Oreos. (Yikes!) And missing out on the finer things in life. Like this guacamole. Which I brought to my cousin’s roommate’s surprise party recently. And which was devoured in all of ten minutes.

Yeah. It was good.

One day of one year down. 364 plus eighteen years to go.

Tyler Florence’s Guacamole

5 avocadoes

2 small tomatoes, chopped

¾ of a lime, juiced

½ large red onion, chopped small

¼ tsp cumin

¼ tsp chili powder

¼ cup cilantro, plus extra to taste

Salt to taste

Mix everything together and mash until you have a chunky but somewhat cohesive consistency. Taste for seasoning and serve on burgers, with chips, on turkey sandwiches. Or dig in with a spoon. I won’t judge.

***

Joanne, if you only knew how much I love guacamole, you would understand why I now have to wipe the drool off my keyboard. If ever there was a perfect accompaniment to any dippable, be it chips, carrot sticks, pretzels – this guacamole is it. A perfect party-pleaser for just about any occasion. Don’t be surprised, Joanne, if I show up at your door one afternoon with a bag of pita chips in tow. Who cares about your medical school?? This Jessie needs to be fed 😀

Q: Do you like guacamole? What’s your favorite food to bring to parties?

18 Comments

  1. I am SO far behind – didn’t even know you were in China!

    I didn’t discover avocado until, oh, the last two years – so I beat your 19! I don’t get overly excited about them but I do enjoy a bit of guacamole here and there, especially in the summer!

  2. I love avocados and making guacamole!! This recipe sounds awesome… especially since there isn’t any sour cream in it. Blech, I hate sour cream.

  3. I never knew I loved avocado until I was in my mid-20’s so don’t feel too bad!! Guacamole is my favorite thing, no chips needed!

  4. Excellent guest post, Joanne! I love your explanation as to why kids don’t like green veggies — that’s too cute! 🙂 Your guac looks fabulous!

  5. I love guacamole! So delicious. I’ve always loved avocados they were a staple in our house growing up.

  6. When I saw chili powder as one of your ingredients I had to smirk a little. I liked that you added some chili powder to your Guacamole Joanne, adds a nice kick to it 😛 Guacamole is definitely one of those dips that I wouldn’t be shy to eat with a spoon. Now that you’ve thrown in some kick, to that I say, “where’s my other spoon?” Thank you for sharing this recipe with us. Great guest post!

    Jessie, or subconscious Jessie (whomever is listening ;-)), I love guacamole! Definitely my favorite dip in the whole world. Hmmm…maybe I’ll try it on pizza someday. I think you just gave me a new post idea lol. Sorry, got sidetracked. Let’s see, my fave thing to bring to a party would probably be a nice bottle of wine and maybe some kinda dessert. But the wine for sure. Hope all is well. 再見了好 朋友.

  7. you and Joanne are the best. mmmm guacamole. yum yum <3

    Jessie, somehow my feeds lost a few blogs and i realized urs wasent on the list anymore so that why i havent been commenting as usual! i totally fixed it ASAP so ur back on my reader!! omg totally cant believe it happened, ive miss ur posts! need to get caught up lol 🙂 xoxo <3

  8. Great looking guac. I only recently started to like avocado. As it is a fat source, and I have some issue with textures, it took a while to get used to. Now I am more than happy to add some here and there. My favorite dish to bring to a party is 7 layer bean dip. No one ever realizes I use low fat products and nothing flavored with meat.

  9. I literally just made guacamole tonight for a small get-together at a friend’s apartment and met a late 20s/early 30s guy who had never had guac before. He’d also never had red velvet (which I also happened to bring). Verdict? No on the guac but yes to the velvet. Perhaps if I had used this recipe I’d have gotten a different answer. It looks delicious!

  10. Oh, Joanne. You must have known about my fervent love for Jessie, in addition to my sweltering passion for eating avocados. It was thus that you concocted to write a guest post on Jessie’s blog about avocados. I knew it. You girls are geniuses. Both of you. BWAHAHAHHAHAHA.

    OK now onto guac. Truth be told, in between eating 2-3 a day, and letting some ripen in order to make Greenola, my avocados never get a chance to see the light of guac-day. It’s all too much work to beautify a green buttery treat that I’m more than satisfied to enjoy in its purity. Ya know? 🙂

    My favourite treat to bring to parties = … a kale salad?!?! Or a coleslaw. I’m a big fan, as you know, of greens. 😀

  11. I love guac! It’s my favorite accompaniment to tortillas – I could live off of it but alas I have never made it ever…such a sad state :0( I think you’ve inspired me to make it now though – Looks yummy!

  12. Easy…back off my double-stuffed Oreos. For I am their very protective bodyguard. Love avocados, one of my all time favorite ingredients to use.

    Great job with this guest post Joanne. Entertaining read.

    Cheers!

  13. I love to bring fruit salad because there is usually an overload of dessert but little fresh fruit.

  14. YUM, yum, yum, yum ,YUMMM! I love guacamole, but only because it has avocado and chilli 😉 I love avocado – it tastes so much like unsalted butter! And here, it would definitely be the spoon I’d go with ! Thank you Joanne, for a fantastic post!

    As a guest I would bring a bottle of wine if I’m not familiar with the host or something I know my host would love if I am close to her/him.

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