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Avocado (Persea americana) is a tree and the fruit of that tree, classified in the flowering plant family, Lauraceae. It is native to Central America and Mexico. The tree grows to 20 m (65 ft), with alternately arranged, evergreen leaves, 12-25 cm long. The flowers are inconspicuous, greenish-yellow, 5-10 mm wide. The pear-shaped fruit is botanically a berry or drupe, from 7 to 20 cm long, and weighs between 100-1000 g. It has a large central seed, 3-5 cm in diameter.
An average avocado tree produces about 120 avocados annually. Commercial orchards produce an average of 7 tonnes per hectare each year, with some orchards achieving 20 tonnes per hectare (FAO statistics). Biennial bearing can be a problem, with heavy crops in one year being followed by poor yields the next. The fruit is sometimes called an avocado pear or alligator pear, from its shape and green skin. The avocado tree does not tolerate freezing temperatures, and so can be grown only in subtropical and tropical climates.
Co-evolution theory
Barlow & Martin (2002) identify the avocado as a fruit adapted for ecological relationship with large mammals, now extinct (as for example the South American herbivorous giant ground sloths or the Gomphotheres). This fruit with its mildly toxic pit, co-evolved with those extinct mammals to be swallowed whole and excreted in dung, ready to sprout. The ecological partners have disappeared, and the avocado plant has not had time to evolve an alternative seed dispersal technique, aside from human cultivation. More on [ Avocado ]
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Calavo Recipe Listing - From a distributor, a large collection of standard avocado recipes including some for babies, new mothers, and diabetics.
Avocado Deluxe Sandwich - Calls also for sprouts, cheese, whole wheat bread.
Meta Description: [ Jim Barricks alcohol-free recipes for exciting and useful cooking information. ]
Avocado Milkshakes - Uses milk, sugar, vanilla ice cream and one avocado.
Avocado Recipes - From a California grower, two recipes: Avocado Ice Cream, and Jim And Mendy's Easy Guacamole.
Avocado Recipes - Dips, especially several for guacamole.
Meta Description: [ Completely free information. You simply cannot believe all the great dips and dressings you can make with avocado. ]
Avocado Recipes - Includes wraps, salsa, half-shells, dips, pie, and pasta. Provides history of avocado and tips for preparing.
Meta Description: [ Avocado Recipes, History of Avocado ]
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Avocado Relish - Use with broiled chicken or fish.
Meta Description: [ Thousands of great free recipes and cooking information. Search by keyword & ingredient. Add recipes. Create cookbooks and recipe web sites. ]
Avocado Turkey Enchiladas - Relies on cooked turkey and avocados.
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Avocados - An article about avocados discussing the varieties, how to use them, nutrition, and a handful of recipes.
Meta Description: [ All about avocados, including recipes, history, selection, storage, nutrition, and health benefits. ]
California Avocado Commission - A large database of recipes using avocados.
Meta Description: [ Find delicious healthy cooking recipes and quick cooking recipes using California Fresh Avocados online at www.avocado.org. ]
Caputo's Avocado Pasta Sauce - Recipe presented by Tony Caputo.
Meta Description: [ The KSL.COM Website ]
Ceviche Stuffed Avocado - Stuffed with a pico de gallo - ceviche mixture.
Meta Description: [ 100s of recipes from famous chefs on the cooking segment of the Channel 5 Eyewitness News at Noon. ]
Greenwood Groves Recipes - A dozen recipes that use avocados, including salsa, quesadillas, gazpacho, pizza, and grilled avocados.
Just Fruit Recipes: Avocado - A collection of recipes featuring guacamoles, salads, soups, dips, muffins, and breads, to name only a few.
Meta Description: [ 615 different Avocado recipes. Over 225,000 recipes available, each has an ingredient listing, preparation instructions and a printer-friendly version. ]
Recipe Archive - Salads, pizza, wraps, dips, sorbet, compote, main dishes.
Stuffed Avocado - Raw vegan recipe includes sunflower or pumpkin seeds, carrot, dried tomatoes, miso, onion, alfalfa sprouts, and two avocados. By Kate Wood from Organicfood.co.uk.
Meta Description: [ Kate Wood's raw vegan Stuffed Avocado recipe, from Organicfood.co.uk ]
Vegetarian Avocado Soup - Calls for one avocado, sauteed onion, soy sauce, water, and salt. Blend, heat, and serve. From VegWeb.
Meta Description: [ Over 9,000 vegan / vegetarian recipes, restaurant guide, coupons, product reviews and more. ]
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