Avocado

Avocado is a pear-shaped fruit with pebbly green to black skin, creamy pale green flesh, and a large central pit. Its buttery texture and mild, nutty flavor hold up to slicing, mashing, pureeing, and quick charring. Common uses include guacamole, salads, toast, sushi, tacos, and smoothies; the Hass variety dominates retail in firm to ready-to-eat stages. Cut flesh browns on exposure to air; citrus slows it.

Native to Mesoamerica, avocado was domesticated in southern Mexico and Central America and spread widely through Latin American cuisines. Modern cultivation centers include Mexico, California, Peru, and Chile, with global demand met year-round via staggered harvests and export supply chains.