Shepard Avocados
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Shepard avocados vary in size and shape, depending on growing conditions, and generally have a round, pyriform, to oval shape with a characteristic long neck. The skin is thin, taut, and easily punctured, showcasing a smooth, glossy, and emerald green hue. Shepard avocados notably retain their green coloring, even when ripe, and sometimes develop pale yellow hues. Underneath the surface, Shepard avocados have a yellow coloring with a thin ring of green just below the surface. The flesh is also dense, firm, and slow to brown. The flesh retains a firm consistency when ripe, is known for holding its shape, and contains a large brown seed in the center that should be discarded before consumption. When fully mature, the flesh also develops a creamy, smooth, and buttery texture. Shepard avocados should be tested for ripeness by gently pressing the neck near the stem. This portion is firm when unripe, becoming softer when ripe. The tiny brown cap at the top of the fruit can also be easily popped off with maturity. Shepard avocados are only consumed ripe and have a mild, nutty, and slightly earthy taste. If they are eaten too early, they are said to have a green, grassy flavor.
Seasons/Availability
Shepard avocados are available in late summer through early fall. In Australia, they are typically found between February and May, with a peak season in March.
Current Facts
Shepard avocados, botanically classified as Persea americana, are an American variety belonging to the Lauraceae family. The green-skinned avocados were developed from an open-pollinated seedling in California in the mid-20th century and are an early-maturing, semi-dwarf variety with a B-type flowering. Despite their creation in California, Shepard avocados are most notably known for their production in Australia. Shepard avocados are one of Australia's two most commercially produced avocado cultivars, the other variety being Hass. The variety is only available for a limited season each year and was selected as a commercial crop to fill the gap in the Hass market. Hass accounts for 83 to 86% of the commercial avocado production in Australia, and Shepard accounts for the remaining 14 to 17%. When in season, Shepard avocados are the dominant variety sold in grocers throughout Australia and are distinct from Hass as they remain green, even when ripe. Shepard avocados also exhibit a firmer flesh that resists browning for longer periods than Hass, allowing it to be used in a wide array of culinary preparations. In the modern day, Shepard avocados are viewed with polarizing opinions among Australian consumers, but the variety has remained an important commercial introduction for its ability to be utilized in sweet and savory recipes.
Nutritional Value
Shepard avocados are a source of fiber to regulate the digestive tract, folate to help produce tissues in the body, vitamin E to protect the cells against damage caused by free radicals, and vitamin K to assist in blood coagulation when needed. Avocados also provide potassium to balance fluid levels, vitamin A to maintain healthy organs, niacin to improve circulation, and other nutrients, including lutein and pantothenic acid, also known as vitamin B5. In natural medicines, avocados are occasionally used in masks and oils to topically soothe and hydrate the skin. It is also used in various hair treatments.
Applications
Shepard avocados have a subtly nutty, earthy, and mild flavor suited for fresh or cooked preparations. It is important to note that the variety has a neutral taste, complementing sweet or savory dishes, and the flesh retains a firm nature, allowing it to hold its shape. Shepard avocados are primarily used in preparations where the flesh can be sliced or diced. The variety is often added to salads as it is slow to brown or can be chopped into salsa. Shepard avocadoes are also cut and served on toast, used as a topping over tacos, grain bowls, and sushi, or stuffed into pitas, sandwiches, and wraps. Try incorporating sliced Shepard avocados into fresh spring rolls or halve the avocado and fill it with meat or fruit as a healthy snack. Shepard avocados are also blended into smoothies and shakes or pureed and chilled into soups. The variety is not easy to mash unless it is fully mature, so care should be taken when prepping these avocados. In Australia, Shepard avocados are grilled to develop a smoky flavor and are served with cooked meats and vegetables. They are also sometimes used in sweet dishes, including brownies, cakes, puddings, pancakes, and mousse. Shepard avocados pair well with herbs such as dill, cilantro, basil, and parsley, cheeses including parmesan, feta, and blue, and nuts such as walnuts, pine, peanuts, and almonds. Whole, unopened Shepard avocados will keep for a few days, depending on the ripeness. Firmer avocados should be left at room temperature or placed in a paper bag with a banana or apple to ripen. Once opened, Shepard avocados should be drizzled in lemon juice when opened, wrapped in cling wrap, and placed in the refrigerator, where it will keep for a day or two.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Avocados were first introduced to Australia through plantings in the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney in 1840, but the commercial industry was not entirely established until the 1960s. Many different avocado varieties were planted throughout Australia for evaluation as new possible commercial cultivars, and as varieties arrived from California, growers would plant the seeds in home gardens. Shepard avocados rose from home plantings in the mid to late 20th century in Australia and were chosen as a commercial cultivar to fill a gap in the budding Australian avocado market. During this time, Hass avocados were becoming the dominant planting, and Rincon and Fuerte avocados were fading from production. Shepard avocados filled the gap when Hass avocados were unavailable, propelling them to become one of the top varieties grown in Australia. Shepard avocados are only available for a limited season each year, and the industry struggled with consumers lacking information about the variety as it often lived in Hass’s shadow. As a result of this lack of understanding, Shepard avocados acquired an unfavorable reputation among consumers, often being nicknamed “the green menace.” In the early 21st century, several co-operatives and organizations were constructed to help combat the public’s scrutiny over Shepard avocados. These organizations created targeted marketing campaigns to address common misunderstandings around the variety and sought to educate consumers on the distinct traits unique to Shepard avocados. In 2022, a week-long food event called For the Love of Shepard Avocados was hosted by the restaurant Cuckoo Callay in Surry Hills and featured Shepard-centric dishes such as salmon and avocado on a toasted bagel, avocado mascarpone with white chocolate, lemon curd, and ice cream, and vegemite dukkah mixed with avocado on sourdough. Shepard avocados were also featured in digital marketing campaigns with chefs, influencers, news outlets, and home cooks to showcase the avocado’s diversity in culinary recipes.
Geography/History
Shepard avocados were developed in California through breeder and grower Stanley L. Shepard in the mid-20th century. Shepard was an avocado and citrus grower in California and sought to develop improved varieties of avocados. In 1952, Shepard selected an open-pollinated seedling derived from Edranol avocados and began cultivating the new variety under his last name, Shepard. It has been reported that Shepard would often gift his avocados to friends and family, but generally, the variety was not regarded as conducive to the California commercial avocado industry as it produced low yields. Around the same time of its introduction to California markets, John Shepard, Stanley’s brother, carried Shepard avocados to Australia with a few other Californian varieties for possible commercial introduction. John Shepard owned a subtropical tree fruit nursery in Carpinteria, California, and through marital and familial connections, he became acquainted with Sir Frank Sharpe, a well-known Lieutenant Colonel and avocado grower in Brisbane, Australia. This connection led John Shepard to give Sir Frank Sharpe several seeds of Shepard avocados, and the seeds were planted on Sharpe’s co-owned property with grower Jim Wilson in Eagle Heights, a town within the locality of Tamborine Mountain in South East Queensland. Shepard avocados struggled to produce enough crops to be considered for commercial production, and the variety was planted on several properties belonging to Jim Wilson. In 1969, Wilson retired, moved to Buderim on the Sunshine Coast, and planted a Shepard avocado tree. He later discovered that Shepard avocados were a “B” flower type and required warmer growing conditions than where the variety was previously planted. Wilson partnered with senior author and researcher Brian Watson of the Maroochy Horticultural Research Station in 1978 and decided to introduce Shepard avocado scion wood to Tablelands, a more northern region with warmer temperatures. Growers in warmer regions found success with Shepard avocados, and over 5,000 trees were planted between 1983 and 1984. Shepard avocados eventually became known as a new commercial cultivar in Australia in the 1990s, and the variety quickly increased in production throughout Queensland. Today, Shepard avocados are one of the most commercially produced avocado varieties in Australia and are primarily grown near the city of Bundaberg in Central Queensland and in the Atherton Tablelands region near Cairns in Northern Queensland. The variety is mainly grown for domestic consumption throughout Australia but is also being experimented with as a potential export crop to Asia.
