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How to identify a Mexicola Avocado
The Mexicola avocado fruit has smooth, thin skin. It is black when ripe. It is smaller in size and pear-like or roundish in shape. The best way of identifying one is to compare it to the Hass in terms of size, shape, and skin texture.
Where to find Mexicola Avocados?
The Mexicola avocado is a cultivar of the Mexican variety. It was cultivated by selective breeding and cross-pollination in Pasadena, California in 1912. It was selected mostly for its hardiness.
Namely, the Mexicola cultivar is one of the few avocado varieties that can survive extremely low temperatures. Reports of its surviving temperatures as low as 17°F are numerous. The same is true for its heat resistance, but avocados are generally well adapted to heat.
The cold resistance allows it to be kept in climates with relatively cold winters. This is especially interesting to the people who live in more temperate regions. If you live in an area that has hot summers, with lots of rainfall, but also cold winters without much snow, then this variety will work best for you. Other varieties are only adapted to Mediterranean and tropical climates.
Beyond this peculiarity, the Mexicola is special in other characteristics as well. Namely, one of those unique properties is that its skin is edible. As weird as it may seem, you can bite right into a Mexicola avocado as if it was a pear. The skin has an anise-like taste and is peculiarly thin.
Another quality the Mexicola boasts its edible leaves. Dried Mexicola avocado leaves are used in some Mexican dishes as a flavoring, and their anise-like taste mixes well with peppers and garlic. Conversely, other avocados have slightly poisonous leaves.
Step-by-step Identification
The Mexicola avocado fruit can be described relative to the Hass, which is the more popular variety.
Fruit Size
Relative to the Hass, the Mexicola is slightly smaller. That is, it grows to around 3 inches. The Hass is usually between 4 and 6 inches.
Seed Size
The Mexicola also has a larger seed as opposed to the medium-sized pit of the Hass. This is one of the reasons the Mexicola isn’t viable in mass-production. It delivers less fruit-flesh per fruit. However, if you have your own tree it usually grows a larger number of smaller fruits.
Skin Thickness and Color
The skin of the avocado is perhaps the best sign that you are dealing with a Mexicola. Its skin is incredibly thin, easy to peel and smooth. A regular Hass avocado is usually pebbled, has medium skin thickness and is a bit harder to peel. The Mexicola is also black when ripe.
Taste
The Mexicola makes up what it lacks in size with exquisite taste. It is often used for producing avocado oil as well. It has around 20% oil content. Its taste is described as buttery, smooth and nutty.
Conclusion
The Mexicola is an interesting variety mainly because of its edible leaves and skin. It also features an excellent taste profile and can be used in many meals. It provides a lot of taste even in smaller quantities which is great for smaller portions.
