An Ode to My Avocado Trees (and a Recipe)

The recent rainstorms in Southern California have done their best to revive the two avocado trees that sit proudly in my backyard. Last year, the avocados arrived like ants at a picnic—plentiful and happy. Today, the tips of the leaves are brown and the jury is out on whether they will make a reappearance this spring.

See, avocado trees are both male and female and their flowers only open for two days. On the first day, the female part opens for up to four hours and during this time, it can receive pollen. On the second day, the male parts of the flower open for a short time to release pollen. Like in life, blossoming is often dependent on the sweet encouragement of a friend, which is why the two trees sit side-by-side.

In honor and wild encouragement of my favorite fruit (Yes, fruit! More specifically, a single-seeded berry.), here's one of my favorite avocado recipes with variations.

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large French baguette

2 large, ripe avocados, sliced

1⁄2 cup pomegranate seeds

2 tablespoons balsamic glaze

2 teaspoons sea salt

Make It Happen

Select ripe avocados and cut them in half to remove the pit.

Drizzle with balsamic glaze, spread the pomegranate seeds, then sprinkle with sea salt.

With Crostini:

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.

Working in batches, toast the baguette slices on both sides, adding additional oil if needed.

Remove from heat and move the slices to a plate.

Add one to two slices of avocado with balsamic and pomegranate seeds to each piece of toast, mashing gently with a fork to cover the surface of the bread.

Enjoy!