A short guide to Fallbrook's avocado country.
Fallbrook, in north San Diego County, is known for its avocado groves and rolling hills. This guide covers choosing and ripening avocados, storing and using them, and visiting grove country respectfully.
Picking a ripe avocado
Your hand is a better guide than the color.
Cradle it
Hold it in your palm rather than pressing with fingertips, which bruises the fruit.
Press gently
Ripe fruit yields slightly; very soft fruit is past its best.
Check the stem
If the small stem cap comes away easily and looks green underneath, it is usually ready.
Buy a mix
A few ripe for today and a few firm for later in the week.
Ripen and store
Avocados ripen after they are picked, not on the tree.
| If it is | Do this |
|---|---|
| Hard | Leave it on the counter for a few days. |
| Needed sooner | Put it in a paper bag with a banana or apple. |
| Ripe | Move it to the refrigerator to slow it down. |
| Cut | Keep the pit in, cover the surface tightly and refrigerate. |
Ways to use a lot of avocados
Grove towns have a lot of fruit in season.
Freeze
Halve, peel and freeze for smoothies.
Mash
With lime and salt for a quick spread.
Slice
Onto salads and toast just before serving.
Share
Grove towns have long run on neighbors trading fruit.
When visiting
Groves are working farms and people's homes.
- Buy from local stands and farmers markets
- Keep to public roads; most groves are private property
- Ask before photographing private groves
- Never pick fruit from trees that are not yours
Common avocado varieties
Hass is the familiar one, but it is not the only one.
Hass
Pebbly skin that darkens as it ripens; rich and creamy.
Fuerte
Smooth green skin that stays green when ripe; lighter flavor.
Bacon
Smooth, thin skin; mild flavor; often an earlier-season fruit.
Reed
Large and round, with a thick skin; often later in the season.
Common questions
Everyday avocado questions.
How do I speed up ripening?
Put the avocado in a paper bag with a banana or an apple at room temperature.
How do I keep a cut avocado from browning?
Leave the pit in, squeeze lemon or lime over the surface, press plastic wrap against it and refrigerate.
Can I freeze avocado?
Yes, mashed with a little lemon juice. It works well for dips and smoothies, less well for slices.
Can I grow a tree from the pit?
You can sprout one in water or soil, but a tree from seed may take many years to fruit and the fruit may differ from the parent.