Florida citrus and seafood star in chef Norman Van Aken’s new cookbook, “My Key West Kitchen.”
From Key lime pie to conch salad, Van Aken and co-author Justin Van Aken tell the story of South Florida cuisine through recipes and remembrances. In town for the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival this past weekend, the father-son duo shared their kitchen secrets during a seminar dubbed “Conch Culture.” They describe Key West cuisine as a geographically unique blend of Caribbean, Cuban and Southern cooking with a dash of American hippie escapism.
Pulling fish from the sea and plucking fruit from tropical trees cultivated in South Florida are only the start of the Van Akens’ grocery list, but it got me thinking about the Florida avocado.
A tale of two avocados
The great majority of the time, when a recipe calls for avocado, it refers to the dark green pebbly skinned Hass avocado grown predominantly in California and Mexico. The flesh of the Hass avocado is rich and creamy tasting because of the high content of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. Often misspelled Haas, the varietal was named after Rudolph Hass, and it rhymes with “pass.”
Avocados grown in Florida are literally a different breed. Twice as large as the palm-sized Hass variety, the smooth green skinned Florida avocado is lower in total fat and calories. An ounce of Florida avocado has about 33 calories, whereas the richer California variety packs about 50 calories per ounce.
Brooks Tropicals, a major grower in the Sunshine State, smartly brands its Florida avocados the “SlimCado” to call attention to the fact they have half the fat and a third fewer calories than their California competitors.
The season for Florida avocados kicks off in June, and Justin Van Aken says, “I find that when they’re good, they’re great — creamy and rich, yet as light and refreshing as any good tropical fruit should be.”
Some folks say they don’t like the Florida avocado because it’s “too watery” and “not as buttery” as the Hass, but others prefer the slightly sweet taste and lighter texture.
Nutritionally both varieties are rich in fiber, potassium, vitamin E and folate, but California avocados are higher in heart-healthy fats and Florida avocados are higher in vitamin C content. To best appreciate the Florida avocado’s subtle flavor and texture, Justin Van Aken suggests, “A little salt, and something acidic — especially lime or pineapple — to dress it, and you’re good to go. We make a salsa with them diced, along with mango, black beans and queso fresco, that is out of this world!”
So, just as there are many different types of oranges — from California navel to Florida’s Valencia — enjoying variety is a good thing.
In “My Key West Kitchen,” recipes such as Crabmeat Stuffed in Avocado call for Florida avocados first with a ripe Hass avocado as “optional.”
