Abacate

Description: Fruit of the species Persea gratissima Gaerthn, ovoid or piriform, reaching 8 to 12 cm in length and up to 15 cm in width. The pulp, initially green, turns yellowish when well ripe and surrounds the seed, which is globulous and large. The avocado pulp, with a very fi-ne texture, is edible and has a flavor comparable to that of butter. The most cultivated varieties have violet or green colored fruits.

Region: Autonomous Region of Madeira.

Other denominations: Avocado Pear.

Particularity: Exotic, subtropical fruit, produced in Madeira and much appreciated by the local population.

History: This plant of the species Persea gratissima Gaerthn comes from tropical America. Cultivated in the southern and lower region of the island, mainly within farms and gardens of Funchal, where it was introduced a century ago as an ornamental tree, then the fruit was discarded out of ignorance (Islet of Zargo). In the considerations of the researcher Lieutenant-Colonel Alberto Artur Sarmento we can read: «In a list of the edible fruits existing in Madeira, in 1849, this does not appear, which leads us to believe, logically, that it is not yet recognized as such, however these trees were already propagated on the farms as producers of good shade. The fruit appeared for sale at the end of the last century...». The most cultivated varieties are the violet (purple avocado), the first to be introduced on the island, and the green, in which the fruit retains this color until after ripeness, being identical to this the necked avocado, so called because it has an elongated neck. In 1938, avocado trees were introduced from Argen-tina, and there were already many fruits with different characteristics in the color of the pericarp, configuration, weight, pulp properties, aroma and flavor (Islet of Zargo).

Use: Avocado is widely used in cooking, being served in starter dishes with different condiments (salt, pepper, lemon), as an accompaniment to meat or fish or for dessert as fruit, replacing pudding, seasoned to the taste of each diner with butter, cane honey, sugar or Madeira wine.

Know-how: The avocado tree can reach 500 m in height on the south coast and 250 m on the north coast, as it is colder. The 5x4 m compass and the use of grafted trees are recommended. The harvest takes place in the months of September to June.

Source: Produtos Tradicionais Portugueses, Lisboa, DGDR, 2001