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Cafe owner responds to extortionate avocado drama

A Sydney cafe has responded after being slammed for their $10.90 side of avocado. Little Jack Horner, situated right in front of Coogee Beach, also charges $11.90 for halloumi and $9.90 for a side of bacon, all of which are meant to be shared. Cafe owner BJ McHatton spoke to 9Honey about the avocado side dish that made waves. "The smashed avocado is portioned at almost one and a half avocados, as well as containing other ingredients to make it a dish, not just an avocado in a bowl," he said of the dish. "The price of avocados does fluctuate, two months ago we were paying double what we are today," he said, adding that the venue works with local providers who go to the market daily to provide them with quality produce. "Of course, this comes at a higher cost that allows us to have a quality offering for our customers.” He pointed out that this is the first price increase in 10 years, with "the hospitality industry as a whole all the way from the suppliers to the actual venues himself have seen prices explode over the last 12 months.” McHatton added that the cafe is in a prime location, with live music five nights a week, 160 indoor plants that are professionally cared for, and their efforts to support local teams, clubs, schools and charities all contribute to their prices. "Obviously, running a business of this size, and in this destination has a lot of associated expenses. All of this has to be taken into account when we set prices for our products.” Despite increased media coverage, McHatton says they haven’t received any backlash. "Obviously being on a few radio stations and covered by a few news stations it has generated some interest on those stories. However, after reading the comments, most of them are supportive. Most people genuinely seem to understand how hard running a business is the associated cost to come with running a business," he told 9Honey. However, he expressed disappointment at the Google reviews that were allegedly left overnight by people who had never been to the cafe. "[It's] disappointing that people will go to the trouble of leaving a review having never actually experienced the venue. If anyone has ever been to our place, they know it's a lot more about an experience, which includes the food than just the food and the price," McHatton said. Other reviewers have dubbed the food “grossly overpriced”, with one reviewer revealing their Easter lunch of two breakfasts and fruit juice was almost $100. Another added that the prices were "pushing close to that of what you would expect for dinner," though they did say the food "was great". Image credit: Shutterstock

Food & Wine

5 ways to ripen your avocado in minutes

The humble avocado can be a wily adversary when it comes to eatability. What lies beneath their dark, glossy skin is at best a guessing game. Many a meal has been ruined by slicing one open only to discover rock hard flesh. Fortunately, there are a few clever tricks you can you to ripen up an avocado quicker than you can say “guacamole”. Here are five of our favourites. 1. Wrap it in glad wrap One of the easiest ways to quickly ripen an avocado is by wrapping it in glad wrap! Something to do with the heat and moisture generated we are led to believe. 2. Peas and a blender If you’re really stuck and need to do something with your rock hard avo, try dicing it up and popping into the blender with a handful of frozen peas. Instant creamy guacamole! 3. The tin foil trick For really, really unripe avocados, this tin foil hack might just do the trick. Simply wrap your unripe avocado in foil and pop it in a low temperate oven (around 90c). Leave for around 10 minutes then transfer to the fridge to cool. Avocadoes release ethylene gas (which helps them to ripen) much faster in the oven due to the warmth. This method can change their taste slightly though so is best used when the avocado will be turned into something like guacamole or added to a recipe. 4. Lime juice + apple cider vinegar Another trick to create instant, creamy guacamole. Take a sharp knife, cut your avocado in half then score the flesh into sections. Pop the segments out into a bowl and sprinkle with a tsp of apple cider vinegar and the juice of ½ a lime. Allow to sit for a few minutes then mash. 5. Brown paper bag + flour As bizarre as it sounds, the humble brown paper bag can help ripen up an avocado considerably faster than nature alone. Pour ½-1 cup of flour into the bottom of the bag then add your avocado. Seal the bag and leave in a warm spot to ripen. This can take anywhere between 12-48 hours. To speed up the process, add another piece of fruit like a banana or apple to the bag as this will add to the ethylene gas production and thus speed up ripening. Image credits: Getty Images

Food & Wine

Woman reveals how to perfectly ripen avocados in just 24 hours

A popular health influencer has shared a unique avocado ripening hack, demonstrating the method in a Instagram video. Caroline Groth says the hack is "something I heard about years ago". "The kiwi actually doesn't ripen, funnily enough," she says. In the video descriptions she writes: "Guys, Green Skin + Shepard Avocado season means I legit need a spreadsheet to keep track of when I'll have avocados to eat because they take foreeeeeeeever to ripen." "But no more… insert the best 101 life hack ever," Caroline continues. She explains: "The kiwi fruit releases ethylene gas - a plant hormone that aids the ripening process - and the paper bag traps the gas so the process works faster meaning you'll have ripe avocados in 24 hours." <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CdVQwgqjU30/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CdVQwgqjU30/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Caroline Høgh Groth (@carolinehgroth)</a> </div> </blockquote> Caroline ends her video description by saying: "You're bloody welcome." Caroline makes the most of this hack, sharing recipes of some of her favourite meals using avocados including salads and variations of breakfast favourite smashed avocado on toast. Once your avocado is perfectly ripe, there is another hack that will keep it that way for longer. Cut your avocado in half and remove the stone, then it can stay fresh for longer by being placed in a container filled with cold water and then stored in the fridge. "As a major avocado lover I will definitely be using this hack," one person commented. Images: Instagram

Food & Wine

How to ripen avocados in just 2 minutes

All you need is plastic wrap and a microwave. And an avocado. Avocados are the internet’s favourite fruit. Everywhere you click, there’s a discussion about how healthy it is, how expensive it is, and whether it’s considered a fruit or a vegetable. But whether or not you eat enough avocado toast to fill your Instagram feed, that fruit is still worth keeping in your life – for nutritional benefits and <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/13-must-follow-recipes-for-the-perfect-homemade-face-mask">beauty hacks</a>. The problem is finding the best avocado. Once ripe, it only stays good for two or three days before it’s too late. Your best bet is buying an unripe avocado and helping the process along, which saves you time and money (did we mention avocados are expensive?). Luckily, you can ripen avocados at home with some easy tricks. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/8cc2df06d88a40458efb69e4343fa64f" /><img style="width: 500px; height: 280.88235294117646px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844184/avocados-2-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/8cc2df06d88a40458efb69e4343fa64f" /> How to tell if an avocado is ripe First things first, how would you even know if an avocado is ripe? It’s not like you can slice it open quickly to check. It all comes down to the colour and the texture. Let’s begin with colour. Bright green: If your avocado has a bright green colour, this means that it is still around four to seven days from being ripe. Avocados this colour will typically be hard to the touch and will need to rest on the benchtop for a few days – maybe even a week – before you can eat them. Underripe avocados tend to lack flavour. Very dark green: While browsing the avocado bins at the grocery store, check for the darkest green if you think you’re going to want to eat this avocado within a day or so. You want it to be firm, but with a slight give (not too mushy). If you find this, you may have the perfect avocado on your hands. Black: Avocados that are too dark, almost black, are past ripeness. They may look a bit more wrinkled and are very soft to the touch. If you feel as if you could bruise the fruit just by holding it, the avocado is overripe. The inside will often have some brown spots and won’t taste as fresh. Sometimes colours can vary, so step two of the avocado ripeness test is touch. Gently press into the avocado to feel how hard it is. You want to make sure that the fruit is soft with a little give, but not too soft that you feel like you could morph the shape with your hands. You can also pluck off the tiny stem and see if it’s green underneath. The green colour means that the fruit is ready to eat. If you need to pull really hard to get the stem off or it won’t budge, that means it isn’t ripe yet. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/72ac4d94e2d04154bdfb5fabd7a64c6f" /><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844185/avocados-5-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/72ac4d94e2d04154bdfb5fabd7a64c6f" /> How to ripen avocados quickly How much of a time crunch are you in? Do you need the avocado ready for dinner in a few minutes? Do you want to have it with tomorrow’s lunch? Or maybe you want it for your weekend guacamole. Whatever the case, there are tricks for all time frames. A ripe avocado in just two minutes?! Yes, it is possible, thanks to this Taste of Home hack for how to ripen avocados. Cut it in half vertically and remove the pit. Wrap each half in microwave-safe plastic wrap. Microwave on high for two minutes. When they’re cool enough to hold, run the wrapped avocados under cold water so they stop cooking. Here’s another trick: Wrap the uncut fruit in tinfoil and bake on a baking sheet at 95˚C for ten minutes. (Disclaimer: If your avocado is too hard, it could take up to an hour for it to soften. Check every five minutes if it’s not ripe in ten.) Then remove your newly softened avocado. Leave it in the fridge for a few minutes to cool down. A note of warning though: this method can slightly affect the taste of the avocado, so it’s best to use only when necessary, and preferably where the avocado is only one component of a dish. If you need the avocado ready in one to two days, try placing it into a bowl or a paper bag with an apple or banana. Poke holes in the bag with a toothpick and leave it at room temperature. All of these fruits produce something called ethylene gas, which softens fruit by breaking down the internal cell walls and turning starch into sugar. The obvious and simplest way to ripen an avocado is to just allow it to happen naturally by letting it sit on the counter for a few days until it’s ready. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c9fbe55a15e142a6a0243db326195221" /><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.4327485380117px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844186/avocados-6-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c9fbe55a15e142a6a0243db326195221" /> How to store avocados Make sure you don’t just throw your avocados in the fridge (along with these <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/20-foods-you-shouldnt-put-in-the-fridge">other foods that shouldn’t go in your refrigerator</a>), because they’re best kept at room temperature. But on the contrary, if your avocado has reached perfect ripeness, you can throw it in the fridge to slow down the ripening process, making it last approximately one to three days. Now that you know how to ripen avocados at home, brush up on these other <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/how-to-store-fresh-food-so-it-lasts-longer">food storage guidelines that’ll help keep your food for longer.</a> This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/how-to-ripen-avocados-in-just-2-minutes">Reader’s Digest</a> Images: Reader’s Digest

Home & Garden

Man’s avocado deodorant stick sends internet into chaos

One man has invented an avocado deodorant stick as a way to make the “fastest avocado toast ever”. Posting to the TikTok page Unnecessary Inventions, the man behind the account introduced his insta invention, "avocado on a stick". At the crux of it, it appears to just be an empty deodorant stick filled with smashed avocado. "I invented the easiest way to make avocado toast," he says as the clip begins. “Meet the avocado on a stick." The tutorial went on to demonstrate how the avocado stick functions much the same as a stick of roll-on deodorant. "This handy little container features fresh, mashed avocado. And you can twist this little knob to reveal a little more avocado," he says. "Then you just grab a piece of toast and spread on your avocado. The fastest avocado toast ever." The video has since been viewed over 4.6 million times. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7839271/avocado.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ea9f3fdaf7fa442d941ee5361f68bbd9" /> "Im so repulsed [sic]" one person wrote. Another added: "That really does not look edible.” "This makes me uncomfortable," a third chimed in. Not all the comments were bad however, with some choosing to admire his “creative take”. “The point is you tried,” one person commented. Another user added: “I appreciate the effort indeed.”

Food & Wine

Entertain with ease with a red onion salsa three ways

Explore the different ways to use red onion in salsa with these three recipes. Serves 4 Prep: 15 mins Cooking time 0 mins Red onion, Avocado & apple salsa Ingredients <ul> <li> 1 pink lady, Fuji or Jazz apple, cut into matchsticks </li> <li> 1 avocado, diced </li> <li> 1 small red onion, peeled, halved, finely diced </li> <li> 2 tbs chopped coriander </li> <li> 1 lime, juiced </li> </ul> Method <ol> <li> Combine the apple, avocado, onion and coriander in a bowl. Pour over the lime juice, stir to combine.</li> <li>Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.</li> <li>Serve over sticky pork, kebabs or rissoles. </li> </ol> Red onion, apple & cucumber salsa Ingredients <ul> <li> 1 pink lady, Fuji or Jazz apple, cut into matchsticks </li> <li> 1 large Lebanese cucumber, diced </li> <li> 1 small red onion, peeled, halved, finely diced </li> <li> 2 tbs chopped flat leaf parsley leaves </li> <li> 1 lime, juiced </li> </ul> Method <ol> <li> Combine the apple, cucumber, onion and parsley in a bowl. </li> <li>Pour over the lime juice, stir to combine.</li> <li>Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.</li> <li>Serve over fish, pork, lamb or chicken. </li> </ol> Red onion, chilli mango salsa Ingredients <ul> <li> 1 firm ripe mango, peeled, diced </li> <li> 1 Lebanese cucumber, diced </li> <li> 1 small red onion, peeled, halved, finely diced </li> <li> 1 long red chilli, finely chopped </li> <li> 2 tbs chopped coriander </li> <li> 1 lime, juiced </li> </ul> Method <ol> <li> Combine the mango, cucumber, onion, chilli and coriander in a bowl. </li> <li>Pour over the lime juice, stir to combine.</li> <li>Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.</li> <li>Serve over fish, pork or chicken. </li> </ol> Recipe courtesy of Australian Onions.

Food & Wine

Man robs banks with avocado – flees with $12,000

A man will sit trial after being accused of robbing two banks with an avocado. The 47-year-old has been arrested after allegedly robbing two banks in Beershaba, Israel using a whole avocado, according to the <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/man-holds-up-two-banks-armed-only-with-an-avocado/">Times of Israel.</a> The man entered a Postal Bank branch at a shopping mall in May and handed over a note demanding she hand over cash. “Hand over the money in the drawer,” the note read according to 112 News. When the cashier hesitated, the robber spoke, saying: “Put the money in the bag quickly or I’ll throw this grenade.” The “grenade” however turned out to be a piece of fruit he painted black. The performance happened once more at another bank a few days later. The accused will stand trial for stealing more than AUD$12,000 in total. Police were able to track the robber down using his mobile device.

Legal

Entertain with ease: Avocado, garlic and cheese pull-apart bread

Impress friends and family with this fabulous and easy pull apart. Time to prepare: 20 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes Serves: 4 to 6 Ingredients 1 loaf sourdough bread 1 ripe avocado, peeled and halved lengthways 1 tbs olive oil 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tbs lemon juice 1½ cups grated 3-cheese mix Salt and pepper to season Directions 1. Preheat oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan-forced. 2. Using a sharp knife, deeply cut the bread into a honeycomb pattern (don’t cut through the base of the loaf). 3. Scoop avocado flesh into a bowl and add oil, garlic and lemon juice and seasoning, and lightly mash with a fork. 4. Gently ease bread open and spoon avocado mixture into the loaf. 5. Repeat using cheese. 6. Place loaf onto a large sheet of foil and loosely wrap. Place on a baking tray and bake for 12 minutes. 7. Uncover and bake for a further 8-10 minutes until hot and golden. Recipe courtesy of <a rel="noopener" href="http://australianavocados.com.au/" target="_blank">Australian Avocados</a>. Republished with permission of <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/avocado-garlic-and-cheese-pull-apart-bread.aspx" target="_blank">Wyza.com.au</a>.

Food & Wine

Enjoy a prawn cocktail with avocados

These are always popular! Just cut those buttery, delicious avocados in half and fill with the ingredients you use to make a prawn cocktail your family will love. Serves: 4 Ingredients: <ul> <li> 16 cooked tiger prawns, peeled and deveined </li> <li> 2 avocados </li> <li> 4 lettuce leaves, thinly sliced </li> <li> 1⁄4 cup (60g) cocktail sauce </li> </ul> Method: <ol> <li> Cut the avocados in half and discard the pit.</li> <li>Scoop half the avocado out, adding the flesh to a bowl, to create a larger round.</li> <li>Scatter the lettuce evenly across each avocado half and top each with 4 prawns. </li> <li>Season and mash the avocado. 5. Spoon across each before serving with a dollop of complementary seafood sauce. </li> </ol> Optional: To make your own seafood sauce, simply mix 1⁄4 cup (60ml) cream with 2 tablespoons (30g) tomato sauce, a splash of Worcestershire sauce and drop of tabasco. Season to taste. Recipes by 4Ingredients for Australian Avocados.

Food & Wine

Nutritious and tasty: Avocado and coconut ice cream

Avocados are bursting with nutrients needed for a healthy body. It’s little wonder there are so many health benefits when a single serve of avocado (1/4 or 50g) boasts healthy fats, fibre, folate, niacin, vitamins C, B5, E & K, potassium and antioxidants! Serves 6 Ingredients: • 3 avocados • 1 can (400ml) coconut cream • 2 tablespoons honey • ½ cup fresh berries, cherries and edible flowers Directions: 1. Cut the avocados in half and discard the pit. Scoop the avocado out, adding the flesh to a food processor. 2. Add the coconut cream and honey. 3. Season with a pinch of salt and puree until nice and smooth. 4. Pour into a paper-lined loaf tin, cover with cling wrap and freeze for at least 3 hours or until set. 5. Serve on a long, rectangular platter garnished with fresh cherries, berries and edible flowers.

Food & Wine

Quick and easy: 4 ingredient breakfast burrito

Avocados are a stone fruit with a creamy texture that grow in warm climates. Whether you are spreading it on sourdough, whipping up a delicious dip for chips, or just enjoying one straight from its shell, eating an avocado any time of day is a great idea. Serves: 4 Ingredients <ul> <li> 4 x 16cm corn tortillas </li> <li> 4 regular eggs </li> <li> 8 tablespoons chunky tomato salsa </li> <li> 1 large avocado (220g)</li> </ul> Method <ol> <li> Heat a non-stick frying pan and lightly toast each tortilla until just golden. </li> <li>Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. </li> <li>Add a little water to the same pan and crack the eggs into it.</li> <li>Cook the eggs until the whites are set. </li> <li>Spread each tortilla evenly with salsa, top with an egg and slices of creamy avocado. </li> </ol> Optional: Serve immediately sprinkled with fresh coriander or basil leaves. Recipe by 4Ingredients for Australian Avocados.

Food & Wine

Simple prawn and avocado salad

Making a simple prawn and advocado salad is an easy way to incorporate seafood in to your next feast. You may want to add crayfish if you're after a meatier version. Homemade mayonnaise tops off this appetising entree or side. Serves: 6 Ingredients: <ul> <li>1 kg cooked prawns</li> <li>(plus bite-sized chunks of crayfish if including)</li> <li>Mesclun - mixed lettuce</li> <li>2 avocados, sliced</li> <li>juice of 1 lemon</li> <li>2 tablespoons finely chopped chives</li> </ul> Mayonnaise <ul> <li>1 cup good quality mayonnaise</li> <li>(preferably home-made with eggs yolks left over from making pavlova)</li> <li>2 tablespoons lemon juice</li> <li>1 clove garlic, crushed</li> <li>few drops Tabasco sauce</li> <li>touch of salt and freshly ground pepper</li> </ul> Directions: 1. Shell and de-vein prawns. 2. Peel and slice avocado and mix with lemon juice to avoid discolouration. 3. Arrange lettuce on serving plates. 4. Combine the mayonnaise ingredients 5. Top with prawns (and crayfish if using), then avocados, then spoon over the mayonnaise. Sprinkle with chives. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/simple-prawn-and-avocado-salad.aspx">Wyza.com.au</a>.

Food & Wine

Tasty avocado gazpacho you need to try

A healthy midday meal with the refreshing taste of avocado. Ingredients For the chilled broth <ul> <li>300 g ripe vine tomatoes, quartered</li> <li>150 g plain yoghurt</li> <li>1 tablespoon tomato paste (concentrated purée)</li> <li>1 tablespoon lemon juice sea salt</li> </ul> To serve <ul> <li>2 perfectly ripe avocados, at room temperature</li> <li>¼ sweet yellow or orange capsicum (pepper), cut into small dice</li> <li>3 cm piece cucumber, seeds removed, cut in small dice</li> <li>4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil freshly ground black pepper ﬁnishing salt (optional)</li> </ul> Options Serve with crusty bread. Directions 1. Whizz all the broth ingredients in a blender or food processor with 60 ml water until smooth. Push it through a sieve, ideally over a pouring jug – or transfer the sieved broth to a pouring jug. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. It needs to chill for at least 1 hour, but it can stay chilled for up to 24 hours if necessary. 2. Shortly before serving, get all your remaining ingredients ready, then prepare the avocados. Cut each in half, remove the stone, then use the tip of a knife to score 1 cm chunks, cutting a grid pattern in the flesh of each half without cutting through the skin. Now use a dessertspoon to scoop out the chunks into a bowl. If the avocado needs to stand for more than 10 minutes, dress with a little lime or lemon juice to stop it browning. Otherwise, assemble the gazpacho bowls. 3. Using light ﬁngers and a spoon, gently place an elevated mound of avocado pieces in the centre of each bowl. Gently pour a shallow pool of tomato broth around the avocado. Scatter the capsicum and cucumber pieces on the surface of the broth. Use a teaspoon to drizzle droplets of olive oil across the surface. Grind a little pepper in too, and ﬁnish with either a pinch of sea salt flakes on the avocado or a special ﬁnishing salt, if using. Transport steadily to the table and eat right away. Tips <ul> <li>Use a ﬁnishing salt here for crunch and flavour – just a pinch or two on the avocado or the broth edge would do the trick. Here are three of my favourites, which would be ideal with the flavours here:</li> <li>Smoked salt flakes – light brown and assertively smoky flakes.</li> <li>Hawaiian black lava salt – jet-black mini crystals.</li> <li>Hibiscus salt – ﬁne crystals blended with crushed pink hibiscus petals, giving a citrus flavour and a pink pigment that releases in contact with liquid.</li> </ul> Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/avocado-gazpacho.aspx">Wyza.com.au</a>

Food & Wine

Chilled cucumber and avocado soup

As we get closer to spring, this delicious chilled soup is perfect to cool down on warm days, and healthy to boot! Ingredients: <ul> <li>1 cucumber, peeled and sliced (reserve 6 slices for decoration)</li> <li>2 avocados, peeled and de-stoned</li> <li>2 jalapeno peppers, halved and deseeded</li> <li>4 spring onions, roughly chopped</li> <li>20ml extra virgin olive oil</li> <li>100g natural yoghurt</li> <li>40g crème fraiche</li> <li>200ml chicken or vegetable broth</li> <li>5-10g fresh dill</li> <li>1 lemon, juice only</li> <li>Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper</li> </ul> To serve: <ul> <li>Extra virgin olive oil</li> <li>6 cucumber slices</li> <li>Dill sprigs</li> <li>1 tomato, deseeded and diced</li> <li>Hot sauce, such as cholula</li> </ul> Method: <ol> <li>Put all the ingredients for the coup into a food processor or blender and blitz for about 5 minutes until silky smooth.</li> <li>Scrape any soup from the sides down and blitz for another minute or two.</li> <li>Taste, and add a pinch of salt and some pepper, if you think it needs it.</li> <li>To serve, divide between two bowls and top with a good drizzle of olive oil, the cucumber slices, dill sprigs, tomatoes and a few dashes of hot sauce.</li> </ol> This is an edited extract from <a href="http://t.dgm-au.com/c/185116/69171/1880?u=https://www.booktopia.com.au/pioppi-diet-dr-aseem-malhotra/prod9781405932639.html">The Pioppi Diet by Dr Aseem Halhotra & Donal O'Neill</a>, Penguin Books, RRP $24.99. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/chilled-cucumber-and-avocado-soup.aspx">Wyza.com.au</a>.

Food & Wine

Duchess Meghan’s secret to her unbeatable avocado toast recipe

The Duchess of Sussex may have her hands tied as she prepares to welcome her first child, but that doesn’t mean she can’t whip up breakfast fit for a queen when her friends pay a visit. The former actress's makeup artist, Daniel Martin, took to Instagram on Sunday to share exactly what the royal had prepared for him. The 37-year-old made avocado on toast, complete with tea and chocolate truffles. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs2csAnh2NP/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs2csAnh2NP/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">Back to our Tig days...❤️ Thank you Meghan for being the consummate hostess this weekend and still being the #avocadotoast whisperer, YUM! 🤷🏻‍♂️ 🥑🍞☕️ #foodie #foodiegram</a> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/danielmartin/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank"> Daniel Martin</a> (@danielmartin) on Jan 20, 2019 at 1:07am PST </div> </blockquote> “Back to our Tig days …,” the makeup artist captioned the photo, as he referred to the Duchess’ now defunct blog, The Tig. “Thank you, Meghan, for being the consummate hostess this weekend and still being the #avocadotoast whisperer, YUM!” Alongside the sweet snap, Martin also posted a video of his journey to London, saying, “Weekend in London with my M,” referring to Meghan. Martin is the man behind Meghan’s natural makeup look on her wedding day and has been a close friend of the Duchess for a long time. Known to be a foodie, Meghan helped create a charity cookbook in collaboration with women who survived the Grenfell Tower tragedy. The book – Together: Our Community Cookbook – helped raise money for the Hubb Community Kitchen, where local women gathered to cook fresh meals for their friends and family. The book features a diverse range of recipes from the women of Hubb Community Kitchen with the Duchess claiming the avocado and green chilli dip is her “very favourite”. Try out the recipe below: Ingredients <ul> <li>2 green chillies, halved and de-seeded</li> <li>25g fresh coriander</li> <li>3 tbsp natural yoghurt</li> <li>Grated zest and juice of 2 lemons</li> <li>4 garlic cloves, peeled</li> <li>Flesh of 1 ripe avocado</li> <li>4 tbsp mayonnaise (optional)</li> <li>Salt and pepper</li> </ul> Method <ol> <li>Put all the ingredients except the mayonnaise into a food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Add mayonnaise (if you wish) and stir to combine, then transfer to a serving bowl. </li> </ol> This recipe is from <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.booktopia.com.au/together-the-hubb-community-kitchen/prod9781984824080.html" target="_blank">Together: Our Community Cookbook</a> (Penguin Random House Australia, $22.99).

Body

Woman’s “life changing” hack that will keep avocados fresh for days

Avocados are a necessity throughout many people’s diets, but while the delicious super fruit makes for a great lunchtime option, it tends to go brown in a day or two, making it difficult to store. But one clever woman has revealed a nifty hack that is not only simple but will keep avocados fresh for days on end – and it only involves a small amount of coconut oil. Is there anything the multi-tasking oil can’t do? Apparently not, as it seems that brushing on some melted coconut oil onto the flesh of an avocado will preserve it and keep it from turning brown. Meaning, you can consume the fruit well after you cut it open rather than the standard few hours. “Brush melted coconut oil over your avocado to keep it sealed,” posted the woman on Facebook. “The little bit of browning was already there before I sealed it,” she said referring to the photo of an avocado that accompanied the hack. The trick has garnered plenty of praise as avocado lovers around the country have found a sure-fire way to preserve their favourite fruit. One person titled the method as “life changing”. But why does it work? Avocados contain an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase, which once exposed to air, the enzyme oxidises and causes the fruit to turn brown. The coconut oil acts as a barrier and prevents air from reaching the flesh, meaning no oxidisation. Will you be trying out this clever hack next time you cut up an avocado? Let us know in the comments below.

Food & Wine

Maggie Beer’s sweet potato fritters with smashed avocado and salmon

“The beauty of this recipe is that you don’t need to precook any of the ingredients so it’s a quick process, particularly if you have a helper. The salmon could be cooked, raw or from a tin and well drained. Like all fritters they don’t take long but they need to cook at a low temperature to make sure the raw grated vegetables are cooked through and soft. The best avocados are those that haven’t been refrigerated, but when you consider the logistics of moving food around the country these days that’s more and more unlikely, so my tip is to buy them when they’re still hard and ripen them yourself at room temperature, which can easily take up to 10 days,” writes Maggie Beer in her new book Maggie’s Recipes for Life. Based on the latest scientific research and with the help of one of the world’s leading Alzheimer’s researchers Professor Ralph Martins, Maggie has created more than 200 recipes that help provide the nutrients we need for optimum brain health. The proceeds from the cookbook will be shared between the Maggie Beer Foundation and the Lions Alzheimer’s Research Foundation. Makes: 8 fritters Ingredients: <ul> <li>1 ripe Hass avocado</li> <li>Juice of 1 lime</li> <li>2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve</li> <li>200 g salmon fillet, cooked and flaked (see note) or smoked or tinned salmon</li> <li>Dill or chervil sprigs and lime wedges, to serve</li> </ul> For the fritters <ul> <li>400 g sweet potato, peeled</li> <li>Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper</li> <li>2 large leaves silverbeet, finely chopped</li> <li>1 spring onion, finely chopped</li> <li>2 free-range eggs</li> <li>1 teaspoon chopped coriander</li> <li>2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil</li> </ul> Method: <ol> <li>Preheat the oven to 150˚C (fan-forced).</li> <li>To make the fritters, coarsely grate the sweet potato, then place in a bowl and mix in 1 teaspoon sea salt. Stand for 10 minutes, then drain the sweet potato and squeeze out any excess liquid.</li> <li>In a separate bowl, place the chopped silverbeet, spring onion, eggs and coriander. Add the sweet potato, season to taste and mix well.</li> <li>Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Working in 2 batches, place 3 tablespoons of mixture for each fritter into the pan and press down with a spatula. Cook on both sides for 2–3 minutes or until golden, then drain on paper towel. Place on a baking tray, cover with foil and keep warm in the oven while you cook the remaining fritters.</li> <li>Smash the avocado flesh and lime juice in a bowl until smooth. Stir in the olive oil and season to taste.</li> <li>To serve, place 2 fritters on each plate. Top with the smashed avocado, salmon and sprigs of dill or chervil. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with lime wedges.</li> </ol> Note: If using fresh salmon, drizzle a little olive oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add the fish, skin-side down and cook for 3 minutes or to the point where it will almost burn. Remove the salmon, then quickly wipe out the pan with paper towel, being careful not to burn yourself. Add a drizzle of oil or a bit of butter to the pan, reduce the heat to low–medium and return the salmon to the pan, skin-side up. Cook for 2 minutes, then rest for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the skin, then flake the fish. <img width="119" height="159" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/44680/image__119x159.jpg" alt="Image_ (12)" style="float: right;"/> This is an extract from Maggie’s Recipe for Life by Maggie Beer with Professor Ralph Martins, published by Simon & Schuster Australia, RRP $39.99. Photo credit: Dragan Radocaj

Food & Wine

Smashed avocado with sweet persimmon

This healthy snack or light meal is a deliciously healthy twist on an Aussie favourite with only one simple addition. The combination of the sweet persimmon with the creamy avocado is simply perfect. Serves: 2 as a snack Ingredients: <ul> <li>2 slices sourdough bread</li> <li>½ ripe avocado</li> <li>1 ripe sweet persimmon</li> <li>Salt and pepper (optional)</li> </ul> Method: 1. Toast sourdough and spread on a layer of avocado. 2. Remove persimmon Calyx (stem), rinse and thinly slice lengthways then halve the rounds. 3. Layer persimmon on top of avocado. 4. Taste and enjoy! Tip: When you slice persimmons lengthways, you will see a beautiful, naturally occurring star shape. Recipe courtesy of <a href="http://www.persimmonsaustralia.com.au/" target="_blank">Australian Persimmons</a>. Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 175 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website,<a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank"> head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now.</a>

Food & Wine

Rare beef salad with avocado and beetroot

This simple, flavour-packed rare beef salad is just the ticket for those long evenings. This salad is easy to make and very satisfying. Serves: Four to six Ingredients: <ul> <li>500-600g beef rump or sirloin steak, 2cm thick</li> <li>2 tablespoons olive oil</li> <li>12 pre-cooked baby beetroot</li> <li>2 teaspoons wasabi paste</li> <li>1/4 cup sour cream</li> <li>2 handfuls of rocket (about 100g)</li> <li>2 teaspoons red wine vinegar</li> <li>1 avocado, sliced</li> </ul> Method: <ol> <li>Rub the beef with a little oil the oil, season with salt and fry for four minutes on each side. Allow to rest for 5 minutes then slice as thinly as possible on the diagonal.</li> <li>Mix together the wasabi paste and sour cream, adding a couple teaspoons of water so you have a drizzling consistency.</li> <li>Dress the rocket with the vinegar and the remaining oil.</li> <li>Arrange the rocket, beef, avocado and beetroot on a plate and spoon over the wasabi dressing. Serve with boiled baby potatoes. </li> </ol> Mmm, doesn’t that sound delicious! Written by Ginny Grant. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a>. Image credit: Jason Dorday / Fairfax NZ Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 178 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now</a>.

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Smashed avocado with sweet persimmon

Rare beef salad with avocado and beetroot