A Hass by Any Other Name Just Won’t Do

In the interest of accuracy and your guidance in the future, I ask that you accept correction of two errors found in the Chunky Guacamole recipe published July 16 (“Chippin’ and Dippin’).

The list of that recipe’s ingredients calls for four Haas avocados. The correct name of this leading avocado variety is Hass. It was named for the late Rudolph Hass of La Habra, in whose orchard it originated and to whom a plant patent with that spelling was issued. Members of the Hass family still live in the Los Angeles area; I suspect that they would appreciate help in perpetuating their family name, correctly spelled. Unfortunately, some of our largest grocery companies persist in misspelling it and seem stubbornly reluctant to change.

The guacamole recipe also perpetuates a myth that burying avocado pits in guacamole will keep it from turning brown. That is not so. Avocado pits are not a source of an antioxidant to achieve that desired result--which can, however, be achieved by your valid suggestion to cover the guacamole with plastic wrap pressed against the surface of the mashed avocado mixture. Avocado pits in the guacamole do make an interesting conversation piece, though, don’t they? And they do no harm just sitting there.

JOHN S. SHEPHERD

President Emeritus, Calavo Growers of California

Director Emeritus, California Avocado Society