Guacamole and Rose

In honor of Super Bowl Sunday, and as a just reward for digging out my car, I made one of Ken's favorite things: Guacamole. This is not the first, last, or most authentic recipe for Guacamole but in my humble opinion it is one of the best.


Modified from a family classic:

2 ripe avocados (or more if you are feeding a crowd)

Half a tomato, diced

1/4 red onion, diced

About 2 tbs cilantro finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic

1 tbs olive oil

Few shakes of cumin

Splash of lime or lemon juice

Few shakes of hot sauce (optional)

Peel and de-pit the avocados using a large chef's knife. Cut the avocados in half and throw them in a medium sized bowl with the tomato, red onion, and cilantro.

Heat the tablespoon of olive oil* in a small pan until hot but not smoking. Add the garlic and let it simmer for about a minute or two until it turns a pale golden color. Add it to the bowl with the avocados.

Add the cumin, lime/lemon juice, and hot sauce if using. Smash it all up with a potato masher (don't believe the fools who claim a fork works...pssh). Add a bit of salt and love it.

As a super extra bonus we just happened to have my favorite bottle of rose in the house and it was just dying to be drank. Allow me to introduce you to Virginia's very own Chateau O'Brien's rose of Cabernet Franc.

It is delicious, it goes with anything (except maybe steak), it has a delightful minerality, essence of strawberries....in short it is the best. It was so tasty with the slightly spicy Guacamole that it made me desperate for warmer weather...*sigh*

If you are ever touring Virginia's wine country Chateau O'Brien should be near the top of your list. http://www.chateauobrien.com/

They have a million dollar view, especially when fall's colors are peaking.

*Note about olive oil. As Marcella so abruptly puts it: "There is no olive oil but extra virgin olive oil." I tend to agree with her and usually for this guacamole I use plain ol' extra virgin. But, I happen to have a bottle of Fustini's roasted onion and cilantro olive oil, so I used that instead. I can't say enough good things about Fustini's oils and vinegars. The lemon balsamic is truly to die for and I would put it on my oatmeal if I could. http://www.fustinis.com/

Special thanks to mom for my first bottle from them--yes this Kitchen Love thing is definitely genetic.