Ryan Avocados
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Ryan avocados vary in size, depending on growing conditions, but are generally a medium to large varietal, averaging around 400 grams in weight. The variety showcases a pyriform to oval, egg-shaped nature, and the skin is relatively thick, tough, and textured, covered in raised pebble-like bumps. The skin remains dark green, even when ripe, and is lightly glossy with a rough feel. Underneath the surface, the flesh is primarily yellow-green, with a thin, darker green ring below the skin. The flesh is also firm, dense, creamy, and smooth, encasing a large dark brown seed, also known as a stone. Ryan avocados are consumed ripe, and it is somewhat challenging to determine maturity based on visual cues alone. It is recommended to slip the end of a knife into the stem end. It is ripe if the knife easily pierces the flesh and hits the seed. If the knife is met with resistance in the flesh, it needs to be allowed to ripen longer. Ripe Ryan avocados have a mild, subtly sweet, and earthy flavor.
Seasons/Availability
Ryan avocados are grown in both hemispheres and are typically harvested in the spring through fall. Each growing region will have varying ripening times.
Current Facts
Ryan avocados, botanically classified as Persea americana, are a Mexican x Guatemalan hybrid variety belonging to the Lauraceae family. The cultivar was developed in Southern California in the early 20th century and is a late-season type B avocado, meaning the tree’s female flowers open in the afternoon. Type B avocado trees are often planted beside type A trees for increased flowering and fruit yields. Ryan avocados are a smaller commercial variety grown in limited quantities each year. The variety is favored for its late arrival, often when other commercial types have finished their seasons, and the trees are frost tolerant and consistent bearers, producing high yields. Ryan avocado trees reach 6 to 12 meters in height and are also known as Summer Fuerte avocados. The variety is primarily grown in California, Australia, and South Africa, where it is sold as a small-scale cultivar for fresh markets. Ryan avocados are favored by consumers for their firm flesh and are utilized in a wide array of raw or cooked culinary preparations.
Nutritional Value
Ryan avocados have not been extensively studied for their nutritional properties. Avocados, in general, are known for their vitamin and mineral content. Avocados contain fiber to regulate the digestive tract and minerals, including iron, potassium, copper, phosphorus, and magnesium. Iron develops the protein hemoglobin for oxygen transport through the bloodstream, while potassium helps to balance fluid levels within the body. Phosphorus supports bones and teeth, copper produces red blood cells, and magnesium controls nerve functions. Avocados also provide vitamins such as vitamin C to strengthen the immune system, vitamin E to guard the cells against the damage caused by free radicals, vitamin A to maintain healthy organs, and vitamins K and B.
Applications
Ryan avocados have a mild, earthy, and subtly sweet taste suited for fresh and cooked preparations. The variety is a versatile cultivar with characteristically firmer flesh, lending it to dishes where the flesh retains its shape. Ryan avocados are popularly added to salads or used as a topping over tacos, ceviche, eggs, and grain bowls. The variety can also be halved, the seed removed, and stuffed with various fillings as a snack. In Australia, avocados are favored for smashing onto toast with microgreens and sliced tomatoes. Avocados are also mashed into dips and salsa or sliced and layered into sandwiches and wraps. Ryan avocados can be used in any preparation, calling for avocado. In California, Ryan avocados are a specialty variety sometimes blended into smoothies, pureed to make dressings, or used as a thickener in desserts such as cakes and brownies. In addition to fresh preparations, avocados can also be battered and fried as a French fry variation or served as a crunchy topping over noodles and salad. They can also be halved and grilled to develop a smoky flavor. Ryan avocados pair well with chocolate, bell peppers, jalapenos, tomatoes, herbs such as cilantro, parsley, and mint, and nuts including hazelnuts, almonds, and walnuts. Whole, unopened Ryan avocados should be kept at room temperature until ripe. Once mature, the variety should be immediately consumed for the best quality and flavor. Ryan avocados can also be stored in the fridge for a few days once ripe to extend their shelf life.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Albert Raymond Rideout, often known as “Bert” Rideout, was an important nurseryman and breeder in the rise of avocado cultivation in Southern California in the early 20th century. Mr. Rideout was passionate about fruit and flower cultivation and was one of the first to plant avocado trees in Whittier, California. These trees were planted on Mr. Rideout’s property, nicknamed Rideout Heights, and a larger avocado nursery was later established. Throughout his life, Bert Rideout experimented with and grafted avocados. He was the first nurseryman in Whittier to propagate the Lyon avocado variety and also sold several other cultivars, including Weise Lyon, Camel, Banana Lyon, and Ryan avocados. He advocated for avocados and often attended fruit shows and other events to sample and market avocados to visitors. Mr. Rideout is also famously known as the nurseryman who sold Mr. Rudolph Hass avocado seeds that were planted in La Habra Heights. These seeds later developed into the original Hass avocado tree, one of the most popular varieties worldwide in the modern day.
Geography/History
Ryan avocados were developed in the early 20th century in Whittier, California. Much of the variety’s history is unknown, but the cultivar is said to be a Mexican x Guatemalan hybrid created by nurseryman Albert Rideout on his property in 1927. The variety was initially called Summer Fuerte and was marketed as a local avocado in Southern California. In the 1930s, Mr. Rideout’s property was sold to Edward Ryan, and Mr. Ryan changed the name of Summer Fuerte avocados to Ryan. The Avocado Variety Committee of California eventually accepted the name Ryan, and the cultivar became commercially known as Ryan avocados. Throughout the mid to late 20th century, Ryan avocados remained localized to California but were eventually spread to Australia and South Africa in seed form. Avocados, in general, were first planted in Australia in 1840 in the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney. Varieties from California were also imported around 1928, but most of the trees during this time were grown in home gardens. After the creation and adoption of drip irrigation, avocados became a popular commercial fruit in Australia in the 1960s and 70s. Additional varieties from the United States were imported in 1974, and by the 1980s, avocados were being grown for commercial use and were featured on restaurant menus. Today, Ryan avocados are grown in small quantities in the United States, Australia, and South Africa. In Australia, variety is mainly cultivated in Queensland, Western Australia, and New South Wales. In California, Ryan avocados are grown in the Bay area, Southern California, and select warm inland regions.
