Mexicola Cocktail Avocados
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Mexicola Cocktail avocados are small fruits that do not contain the characteristic central seed found in other avocado varieties. About the size of a small pickle, this variety measures around 5 to 8 centimeters long and 1.25 centimeters at its widest. Their oblong shape is not completely uniform as some are rounded at the end while others have a pointed, pepper-like tip. This variety has thin skin that ranges from smooth and shiny to bumpy and shriveled. Their skin normally has a purple-black hue, though it may be bright green depending on the stage of ripeness. A unique trait of Mexicola Cocktail avocados is that their skin is completely edible, with a flavor similar to anise. Mexicola Cocktail avocado flesh has a bright, light green hue that becomes more faint towards the center of the fruit. There is an empty indentation where the pit of this seedless variety would otherwise reside. Their flesh is creamy and buttery in texture and has a nutty, smooth, and bold flavor.
Seasons/Availability
Mexicola Cocktail avocados are available from late fall to early winter.
Current Facts
Mexicola Cocktail avocados are botanically known as Persea americana and are members of the Lauraceae family. They are small, pickle-shaped seedless versions of the Mexicola avocado and are sold under the commercial marketing name cocktail avocado. Mexicola avocado trees primarily produce large avocados containing seeds, but occasionally, the trees will yield petite, seedless fruits. This naturally occurs when the flowers of the tree are pollinated but for some unknown reason, seed production halts at an early stage. Mexicola Cocktail avocados share a similar flavor profile and texture to their full-grown counterparts and are primarily marketed for their unique, bite-sized nature.
Nutritional Value
Mexicola Cocktail avocados have not been widely studied for their nutritional properties. Avocados in general are a good source of vitamins B5, B6, and B7. These B vitamins are important for energy metabolism, hormones, red blood cell production, skin and hair health, and metabolic processes. This fruit also provides vitamins C, E, and K, encouraging immune function, collagen production, tissue growth and repair, blood clotting, bone health, protein synthesis, antioxidant protection, and cholesterol management. Avocados contain magnesium, copper, and potassium, minerals that help with energy production, muscle and nerve function, blood pressure regulation, iron absorption, fluid balance, energy production, and cardiovascular health. They supply the body with fatty Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids that combat inflammation, balance hormones, and support cellular and brain function. The amino acids in avocados may aid in protein synthesis and tissue repair. Mexicola avocado trees are known beyond their fruits for their edible leaves. The foliage of the tree is actually edible, whereas some other cultivars can be toxic, and is considered an herb for adding flavor to food as well as treating certain ailments. Mexicola avocado leaves have been chewed as a remedy for pyorrhea, a condition caused by gingivitis that incites inflammation and red sores in the gums. When heated and applied on the forehead, these leaves can relieve sharp nerve pains. A leaf decoction is taken as a remedy for diarrhea, sore throat and hemorrhage, and oral infusion of the leaves is used to treat dysentery.
Applications
Mexicola Cocktail avocados have edible skin that allows the entire fruit to be eaten as a snack. They are most commonly consumed raw because they do not stand up well to prolonged heat. Cook them only briefly and avoid exposure to direct heat, like broiling, because the tannins in the fruit result in a bitter flavor when cooked over high heat. This variety can be used raw in salads, sandwiches, sushi, and charcuterie boards or puréed for guacamole, cold soups, or vinaigrette dressing. Dried Mexicola leaves are selected for some Mexican recipes as a flavoring. Similar to bay leaf, these leaves can be used whole to stew tough meats or added as a flavoring to side dishes like beans, rice, roasted potatoes, grilled vegetables, tacos, burritos, nachos, enchiladas, fajitas, and casseroles. They are complemented by the flavors of olive oil, garlic, lime, lemon, cumin, cilantro, basil, pesto, black olives, black beans, quinoa, lentils, tomatoes, jalapenos, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, sour cream, aioli, mozzarella, cheddar cheese, blue cheese, bacon, eggs, grilled chicken, carnitas, steak, shrimp, salmon, halibut, swordfish, and broccoli. To preserve a cut avocado’s color, spray, brush or dip exposed surfaces with lemon juice and cover with plastic wrap to seal out exposure to air. Cut avocados will keep in the refrigerator for a day or two while whole, ripe avocados will keep for two to three days. Only fully ripe avocados should be refrigerated, as they will not continue to ripen in the refrigerator.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Mexicola Cocktail avocados are one of many types of cocktail avocados marketed worldwide. The Fruta De Oro was one of the first commercial cocktail varieties. They were first cultivated in Orotina, Costa Rica in 1974 and came from an older tree that unexpectedly started developing seedless avocados. Branches from this tree were grafted onto other avocado rootstocks to consistently produce this seedless variety. The flavor was similar to Fuerte avocados with the nuttiness of Hass varieties, absent of fibers or stringiness. Historically, these small fruits were called cukes and were disregarded because they only produced a maximum of 7.5 centimeters of flesh and required excessive picking costs to harvest. Over time, farmers began collecting these cukes and collaborating with retailers to market them as specialty fruit. Some farmers even intentionally interfered with the pollination process so they could produce an entire tree of cukes. Varieties such as the Mexicola Cocktail and Lady Finger avocados began being sold to the public after the initial introduction of the Fruta De Oro Cocktail avocado.
Geography/History
Mexicola avocados originated from a seedling planted at Collidge Rate Plant Gardens in Pasadena, California in 1910. This variety would occasionally produce small pickle-sized seedless avocados. Having occurred as a result of improper pollination, seedless varieties like this are not a new concept and have been appearing on trees for as long as avocados have been in existence. It wasn’t until recently that farmers and food producers began intentionally harvesting and branding cocktail avocados. Since Mexicola avocado trees are a cultivated variety that does not grow in the wild, the cocktail version of this breed is domesticated and produced only commercially or in home gardens. They thrive in temperate, tropical, and subtropical regions with full sun exposure. Cocktail avocados may be sold in the markets of Central and South America, North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia. The Mexicola Cocktail variety is particularly rare and is more commonly found in home gardens, where it is grown from seed, rather than being widely available commercially.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Mexicola Cocktail Avocados. One
is easiest, three is harder.| Simply Quinoa |
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Chilled Avocado & Zucchini Soup |
| Fearless Dining |
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Cucumber Gazpacho with Mango Habanero Salsa |
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