Split, pit ’n slice your avo
As a child, my mother would place half an avocado on a plate and give us a spoon. Yum! Avocado goes with chicken salad, shrimp. Then there’s cold avocado soup. And OMG – guacamole! LOVE IT! I also adore it on whole wheat bread and in any salad.
A number of years ago I was given the precursor to today’s avocado slicer. The first year I would perpetually forget about it and go about slicing an avo in half with a knife, then peeling back the skin and slicing it. I’d always kick myself that I’d failed to try out the slicer.
Finally I used it for the first time and I was a complete convert. I was so amazed by the ease with which it scooped and sliced so evenly. Since that day I consistently get it out and use it.
I have recently, however, been introduced to the Cadillac of avocado pear slicers! It’s made by Oxo™. It’s rather an odd looking utensil. At one end there is a tool to split the avo ~ it does a jolly good job; in the center is a pitter that really works; at the other end is grid-looking thing that scoops as it slices. Oxo utensils are really easy to use and then clean. This one is dishwasherable.
I like all these features, but mostly it’s the pitter that I value. And this is why: there was a day when I had company coming for dinner. I halved an avocado and then, to release the pit, I stabbed it with a knife with the intention to give it a twist and pull it out. But, alas, the knife slipped and I heartily stabbed my palm instead. After a painful session having my puncture wound irrigated in the ER, I learned my lesson and exercised caution in the years that ensued.
The pitter on this gadget is awesome. It fits over the pit, you put some pressure on it so that its 3 stainless blades “bite” into the pit, then you twist, and voila! out it comes with ease.
Avocadoes have been lower in price recently so I’ve been buying a couple each week. Definitely put avos on your grocery list [see all the nutritional reasons below] and add this 3-in-1 gadget to your must-have list. I make open face avocado sandwiches and top them with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, flavored olive oil, Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. A veritable meal for the Gods, I tell you! Did you know …that since avocadoes grow on a tree, they are considered to be a fruit? The flower self pollinates. Like bananas they ripen off the tree. Avocadoes are native to Mexico and are in the same family as bay laurel, cinnamon and camphor. Ever heard of a Lula, Hass, Gwen, Pinkerton, Sharwil or Zutano? These are all varieties of avocado. Here are all the facts on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avocado AVOCADO NUTRIENTS from avocado.org http://www.avocado.org/avocado-nutrients/ Here’s The Scoop on the Goodness of Fresh California Avocados. They are Nutrient Dense and contain essential vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients: • MONOUNSATURATED FATS (3g per serving) – Helps to lower blood cholesterol if used in place of saturated fats. • VITAMIN K (6.3 mcg/8% DV per serving) – Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays an important role in blood clotting. • FOLATE (27 mcg/6% DV per serving) – Promotes healthy cell and tissue development. • POTASSIUM (152 mg/4% DV per serving) – In the body, potassium is classified as an electrolyte. Potassium is a very important mineral to the human body. It has various roles in metabolism and body functions and is essential for the proper function of all cells, tissues, and organs. • VITAMIN E (.590 mg/4% DV per serving) – A fat-soluble vitamin that acts as an antioxidant that protects the body tissue from damage caused by unstable substances called free radicals. Vitamin E also plays a role in healthy skin and hair. • LUTEIN (81 mcg) – A carotenoid (a natural pigment) that may be associated with a lower risk of eye diseases. • MAGNESIUM (9.0 mg/2% DV per serving) –An essential mineral for human nutrition. • VITAMIN C (2.6 mg/4% DV per serving) –A water-soluble vitamin that is necessary for normal growth and development. Vitamin C is one of many antioxidants. • VITAMIN B6 (0.086 mg/4% DV per serving) –A water-soluble vitamin. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water. The body cannot store them. That means you need a continuous supply of such vitamins in your diet. Vitamin B6 helps the immune system produce antibodies. 
