I fell in love with fresh guacamole on a trip to Cozumel and Cancun in 1999. Brad and I had been dating only for a few months, and it was the first big trip we took together. We ordered some guacamole one of the first days we were in Cozumel, became hooked and made it our goal to find the best while we were in Mexico.

Since we were both late eaters at the time (i.e., before kids), we spent many a late afternoon trying out guacamole and chips in various venues. And it was all wonderful. If I remember correctly, my favorite guacamole was at a small restaurant located in the Presidente InterContinental Cozumel Resort & Spa, with numerous runner-ups! Luckily, I have found a number of places in Raleigh that also serve great guacamole, which I will be blogging about soon.

When we returned to Raleigh, I spent a number of years trying to perfect my fresh guacamole recipe. When I finally did, I taught Brad how to make it and I have to admit his usually outshines mine. The only difference in our guacamole is that I add a little bit of light sour cream to the mix, maybe a tablespoon or so for this recipe. It helps the guac stay fresh and green. Anyway, good teacher, great student!

Ingredients

• 3 ripe Haas avocados
• 1 lime
• 5-7 large garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup spring onions (about 5 or 6 stalks) cut into small pieces
  (use both green and white parts)
• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped into teeeny, teeeny pieces
• 1 medium ripe tomato, finely chopped
• ¼ cup jalapeno slices, diced (I use the stuff in the jar, but you can use one medium-sized fresh jalepeno with seeds removed, diced minutely. Wear gloves when working with fresh peppers!)
• Hot sauce to taste (I use Smack My Ass and Call Me Sally jalapeno hot sauce)
• Salt to taste (garlic or Kosher)
• Tortilla chips (I like Garden of Eatin’s Red Hot Blues and Sesame Blues, and Tostitos Hint of Jalepeno)
• Margarita of choice (to sip as you prepare the guac)

Preparation

Cut the avocados in half, remove pits and scoop into a large bowl. Smash with a potato smasher or a fork to desired consistency (I like mine with visible chunks of avocado still present.)

Cut the lime in half. Sprinkle one of the halves on the smashed avocados and add the garlic.

Mix in the spring onions and cilantro.

Fold in the tomato.

At this point you want to take a taste to see if you need to add more garlic or cilantro.

Add jalepenos, hot sauce, the juice of the rest of the lime and salt.

Taste again to see if you need to add more hot sauce, adjust as necessary. This is where I add the sour cream when I’m making it. Refrigerate for an hour or so before serving. Again, take a small taste to see if you need to add additional hot sauce or salt.

This stuff rocks as a stand-alone dip, but is also wonderful as a quesadilla topping, in burritos, as a burger topping or a spread on turkey and bacon subs, etc.

Postscript: Our trip to Cozumel and Cancun confirmed what I already knew in my heart – I was falling in love with Brad, and it was the beginning of great times to come! And 12 years later we still seek out great guacamole wherever we go.

Bon appetit!

Eat, drink and be merry!