Take a ripe avocado, where it is just beginning to get soft; with a sharp knife, cut down the center, all the way round, where the two parts separate. On one half the avocado seed in its brown mulatto skin, looks up at you, untouched, saying “what now?”.
On the other half, there is a hole, screaming another set at words to you. With a table spoon, you begin to scoop the green flesh out of one half, and place that into a bowl. The seeded half is your challenge. How to get this “guy” out, to get the green flesh.; with the same knife, you strike the seed in the center, the knife sticks, and with a twist, the seed is extracted.
This big round black guy (the seed) is what had been feeding the rest of the avocado; now that you have removed him, substitutes must be added to preserve the flesh and make it palatable. You must work fast, or the green will almost turn gangrene. So you reach for the sea salt, onion powder, lime juice, chili or cayenne pepper; and you go to work in making what is called GUACAMOLE.
This can be eaten as is, as a dip, or placed on corned beef sandwich, clasped by rye bread. Aha!! “Ay, Caramba!!!”
Ever heard of JACKIE RYAN? She is a jazz vocalist who has recorded with some of the icons in the industry: Clark Terry, our own genius, Cyrus Chestnut (Baltimore MD.). She came to Baltimore last month as a guest of the Baltimore Jazz Society. She, Harry Allen, saxophone, Bill O’Connell, piano, Lee Smith Bass and Jason Tiemann, drums.
So here is where the guacamole and corn beef come in: she is Irish and Mexican; went to see Porgy and Bess (the black jazz musical), and her (black) seedling has grown into this giant tree.
Her event was like a sports night: highs and lows, somber and samba. Irish Boston gets a black governor; Los Angeles gets a Mexican mayor. Guacamole! Corned Beef! Rye!
Sometimes, when you look at the seed of the avocado, some flesh is attached to it, and you “don’t” want to throw it away, so for the last time you put in it your mouth, licking off the remaining flesh. So good. Now for something to drink before you watch the video.
Theculturepagedotcom 