The textbooks may say that there are only four seasons in a year, but Australians know there is a controversial fifth: The season of the Shepard avocado.
Often maligned, the humble Shepard avo is notable for its bright green skin and creamy, yellow flesh — as well as their lengthy ripening window, which can fall anywhere between a week and six months...
Dear Shepard avocado 🥑 you hassn't got what I need.
But I'm here to tell you that Shepards are the underdog of the avocado kingdom, and while they may not seem it to the masses, these avos are actually the best avo variety and here's why.
Shepard is a fine scotch that gets better with age. Enjoy the fine colour that never fades, the vibrant flesh that adds a green pop to your salad or guac.
First of all, Shepards are nothing if not consistent. Yes, it can take some time to learn the ways of her green, shiny body, but once you work out her timing, she always delivers.
Enjoying a polarising lunch of smashed Shepard avocado. #smashedavo #shepardavocado
Unlike the Hass — which can be great, don’t get me wrong — where for every adequate one, you’ve got a dozen stringy, watery, bruised and browning others that you end up dumping into the bin.
The Shepard, on the other hand, is always creamy, bright and delicious — but only if you wait the appropriate amount of time. Which can be frustrating, I won't deny it, but patience is a virtue and you'll learn it many times over with a Shepard.
The key to its ripeness is this: Wait until it feels like an overripe, bin-worthy Hass, as this is the time when the Shepard is actually at its best.
Shepards also don't brown when you cut them, unlike their moody cousins, the Hass and Reed varieties, that begin to pigment 30 seconds after you slice in.
@qianjinghua I just put the scooped-out shell back on the other half, put it in the fridge and eat it as soon as poss – Shepards keep so much better than Hass
Which means you don't have to force yourself to eat an entire avocado in one sitting, or risk losing its supple flesh to browning and bruising.
It also means you can take a packed lunch with the avo sliced, diced and ready to be eaten immediately or in six hours time.
The taste of a Shepard is rich, creamy and sweet, with a hint of delightful nuttiness.
Controversial opinion. I prefer shepard avocados. I just made an avocado dip with one and leftover roasted sweet potato. So creamy and delicious. You can take your stringy, brown spotted hass ones! I'll be over here eating my best lunch.
And because they hold their shape better than other varieties, you can actually slice 'em, cube 'em and chuck 'em into everything from salads to salsas, instead of being relegated to simply a spread or dip.
They're also often much larger than the Hass variety — and who doesn't love a big boy avo ready to slice into?
The best quality size 16 Shepard Avocados today. Yum
And finally, because the Shepard avos are so widely detested, you can guarantee these poor, misunderstood honeys will always be in plentiful stock.
So, in conclusion:
Shepard avocados are the superior variety do not at me.