It’s the Season for Premium California Avocados

California Growers Share their Family Legacies and Delicious Avocado-Inspired Recipes

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fresh California avocados are most available and at the peak of flavor from spring through early fall, so now is the time for consumers to enjoy this delicious fruit at its best. Straight from the groves of more than 6,000 California farmers, who plant, tend and harvest their trees by hand, California avocado growers are bringing their highest-quality and best-tasting fruit to the market.

“I always dreamed of owning my own farm, a place where my knowledge of growing avocados could benefit my family”

Some growers have spent their whole lives among avocado tress, inheriting best practices from the generations that came before them and passing along these learnings to those they now mentor. Others began their journey of developing a thriving avocado grove later in life. While the growers that oversee the thousands of California groves may have each come into the industry by different paths, they all share a dedication to producing the top-quality California avocados that consumers have come to crave.

California avocado grower Jaime Serrato truly is living his American dream. Jaime’s entire life has been influenced by farming, first, observing his father practicing the trade on a ranch in Mexico when he was young. Jamie moved to the United States with his family when he was 10 years old and began his career in the avocado industry as a young adult, when he was hired to pick avocados on farms in California. Over the years, he has risen through the ranks, and today, is president of Serrato Grove Management, Inc., which owns and operates 10 agricultural properties throughout Southern California.

“I always dreamed of owning my own farm, a place where my knowledge of growing avocados could benefit my family,” explains Jaime. “Starting something of worth and having my own land that could be passed down to my son and shared through the generations was a dream come true.”

Like his father, Jaime’s son, Ricardo, has fallen in love with the farming lifestyle. He helps his father run the company and looks forward to taking over the family business when Jaime retires. Ricardo is committed to the quality of the fruit his family produces and determined to preserve his family’s farms, so that he too will be able to pass down a legacy to his son, Daniel.

To view or download videos of the Serrato family discussing the life of a California avocado grower, visit CaliforniaAvocado.com/Serrato.

Preserving the family legacy runs true with the Carleton family as well. California avocado grower Will Carleton married into his century-old farm, Las Palmalitas Ranch in Carpinteria, Calif., but before transitioning from a successful management career in the Silicon Valley to farming the 20-acre grove, he observed the benefits of organic practices employed on his daughter’s avocado farm. When Will and his son took over his wife’s family farm 10 years ago, he knew converting to an organic avocado grove was paramount.

“Understanding the positive effects of sustainable farming practices on the environment really influenced our decision to go organic,” recounts Will. “It’s like a religious conversion. My wife cooks, shops and gardens organically and it’s become the Carleton family way to implement organic practices in our business and our lifestyle.”

The Carletons’ avocado trees are fed with organic compost and long gone are the days of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Will personally believes that these organic farming practices not only produce fruit that is better for you and the earth, but also tastes better. The Carleton family is dedicated to keeping their grove organic, so their land can be sustained and the family can continue their tradition of passing it on to future generations.

To view or download videos of Will Carleton sharing his stories of growing California avocados, visit CaliforniaAvocado.com/Carleton.

With California avocados now in season, it is the ideal time to enjoy this delicious fruit, hand-grown by farmers like the Serratos and Carletons. Both the Serrato Family Grilled Summer Salad with California Avocado recipe and the Carleton Family California Avocado Soup recipe are straight from the farms of California avocado growers and are meant to inspire consumers with new ideas on how to savor this premium fruit. More recipes featuring California avocados can be found at www.CaliforniaAvocado.com.

Serrato Family Grilled Summer Salad with California Avocado

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into quarters
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into quarters
• 1 medium yellow squash, cut into quarters
• 1 Japanese eggplant, peeled and sliced thickly lengthwise
• 6 asparagus stalks, tough ends cut off
• 1/4 medium sweet onion, cut into wedges
• 2 cups cooked orzo pasta
• Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• Balsamic Vinaigrette (see make-ahead recipe below)
• 1 ripe Fresh California Avocado, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Instructions

1. Heat a grill on high. Grill bell pepper until skin side is charred. Remove from grill and wrap in damp paper towels; set aside.
2. Grill zucchini, squash, eggplant, asparagus and onions until just cooked through. Remove from grill and let cool a few minutes. Finely chop vegetables and add to pasta.
3. Unwrap bell peppers from paper towels and peel off skin. Finely chop and add to pasta.
4. Season pasta with salt and pepper. Pour Balsamic Vinaigrette over pasta and toss to coat. Add avocado and serve.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Place vinegar, mustard, garlic and olive oil in a food processor or blender; blend until smooth and creamy.
2. Season with salt and pepper.

Nutrition Information Per Serving: Calories 560; Total Fat 22 g (Sat 3.5 g, Trans 0 g, Poly 2 g, Mono 15 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 30 mg; Potassium 530 mg; Total Carbohydrates 78 g; Dietary Fiber 8 g; Total Sugars 8 g; Protein 15 g; Vitamin A 795 IU; Vitamin C 45 mg; Calcium 40 mg; Iron 4 mg; Vitamin D 0 IU; Folate 250 mcg; Omega 3 Fatty Acid 0.2 g

% Daily Value*: Vitamin A 15%; Vitamin C 80%; Calcium 4%; Iron 20%

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 Calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Carleton Family California Avocado Soup

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 1 hour 5 minutes, including chill time

Ingredients

• 2 large ripe Fresh California Avocados, peeled, seeded and quartered
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (vegetable broth can be substituted)
• 1 Tbsp. chopped green onion, white part only
• 1 1/2 cups crème fraiche
• 2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• Finely chopped chives, for garnish

Instructions

1. In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients until smooth and creamy.
2. Cover and chill soup for 1 hour.
3. Serve chilled and garnish with chives.

Serving suggestions: Garnish soup with finely crumbled bacon, finely diced tomato, finely diced cucumber, finely diced radish or fresh Dungeness crab.

Nutrition Information Per Serving: Calories 210; Total Fat 15 g (Sat 2.5 g, Trans 0 g, Poly 2 g, Mono 9 g); Cholesterol 5 mg; Sodium 360 mg; Potassium 630 mg; Total Carbohydrates 17 g; Dietary Fiber 6 g; Total Sugars 5 g; Protein 5 g; Vitamin A 174 IU; Vitamin C 13 mg; Calcium 98 mg; Iron 1 mg; Vitamin D 0 IU; Folate 82 mcg; Omega 3 Fatty Acid 0.1 g

% Daily Value*: Vitamin A 4%; Vitamin C 20%; Calcium 10%; Iron 4%

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 Calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

*Large avocados are recommended for this recipe. A large avocado averages about 8 ounces. If using smaller or larger size avocados adjust the quantity accordingly.

About the California Avocado Commission

Created in 1978, the California Avocado Commission strives to increase demand for California avocados through advertising, promotion and public relations, and engages in related industry activities that benefit the state’s 6,000 avocado growers. The California Avocado Commission serves as the official information source for California avocados and the California avocado industry. For information about California avocados, visit CaliforniaAvocado.com, become a fan at Facebook.com/CaliforniaAvocados and follow the California Avocado Commission on Twitter at Twitter.com/CA_Avocados.

Editor's note: High-resolution images of these California avocado growers and their recipes are available for download at CaliforniaAvocado.com/PressRoom.

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