News (Noticias) Tagged ‘avocado’

THE motif at Macondo, a restaurant and bar that opened last week on Houston Street on the Lower East Side, is “estilo libre latino,” which translates to “freestyle Latino.” This may explain why I found myself drinking an avocado at the bar there last Thursday. An avocado cóctel? That’s freestyle, baby.”*

These spicy snacks taste even better than nachos, plus the avocado and tuna add a hefty 10 grams of heart-healthy fat. “*

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When Arturo Mendoza’s plot of corn could no longer sustain his family, he joined the stream of illegal immigrants heading toward the U.S. from rural Mexico. During lunch breaks at a California furniture factory, Mendoza would think of home as he wolfed down tortas with chicken and chunks of avocado.

Little did he know that the creamy, green fruit would be his salvation.

Exports of avocados from the state of Michoacan, the top source of both the fruit and immigrants to Chicago, have risen fivefold since 2004. Mendoza and other Mexican farmers have found that exporting the crop is lucrative enough under the North American Free Trade Agreement that they don’t need to go north to earn a living”*

*From: http://www.chicagotribune.com
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

More crumbs than I’ve ever seen in my life littered the formica tabletop at Tortas El Angel.

It was a happy spectacle. Each shard of crust represented a crackle of texture, a degree of lightness and snap in the football-size Mexican sandwich loaves that had been demolished in record time by my friend Mimi and me.

One of the custom-baked telera rolls commissioned by El Angel’s owners — soft inside, toasty and crisp without — had held a brick-red pork mixture marinated in pastor style, with ripe avocado slabs, iceberg lettuce cut as finely as excelsior, a swab of refried beans and a finishing smear of the house’s signature chipotle mayonnaise. Lurking among a few wisps of onion were long slices of pickled jalapeño, a touch that lit up all the flavors and textures of the sandwich. Adding a shot of the restaurant’s incendiary green sauce was beside the point.”*

*From: http://www.chron.com
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

A Mexican avocado exporters group has sued the California Department of Food and Agriculture on allegations the state illegally obstructed the importation of the fruit from Mexico.

The Asociación de Productores, Empacadores y Exportadores de Aguacate de Michoacán AC filed the lawsuit Jan. 11 in Sacramento County Superior Court. The association has a membership of several thousand growers, packers and exporters of Hass avocados, the group said in the lawsuit.”*

*From: http://www.bizjournals.com
Traducido: usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

Late night funny man Conan O’Brien recently tickled his studio audience as he touched on immigration, a hot button topic heard with growing frequency on late night talk shows: “A man in Mexico weighing 1,200 pounds has lost almost half that weight and might enter the Guinness Book of World Records for most weight lost. The Mexican man lost the weight when the family inside him moved to America.” Then at the Emmys on September 16, O’Brien, who won an award, provided a clip of his writing team depicted as Latino day-laborers.

During a “New Rules” segment of his show broadcast in late August, liberal late nighter Bill Maher went to the well of immigrant humor: “New Rule: No more produce-scented shampoo: avocado, cucumber, watermelon. Gee, your hair smells like a migrant worker.”

Jay Leno, who has gone out of his way to tell people, “I’m not a conservative,” has also joined in. During a show in mid-September, he joked, “Well, police across the country now say they’re arresting more and more illegals who are prostitutes. But proponents say, ‘No, no. They’re just doing guys American hookers will not do.’”"*

Today, as frustration grows about the pending business of our broken immigration system, diligent state and local legislators attempt to bring relief to those who find more than one reason to justify the persecution of a group suspected of violating the law. If any of this legislation passes, we could start worrying about the people we know, the places we go, our food choices, including the Florida oranges we like so much or those delicious avocados coming from a state where the No. 1 industry isn’t Hollywood but agriculture. But who is doing the hard work behind the scenes?

A welcome and enforcement

The enthusiasm in addressing this issue no doubt has an element of fear. That would explain how such a welcoming state turns into an immigration enforcement battlefield, a modern-day Island of Dr. Moreau where Hispanics are the guinea pigs to test anti-illegal immigration laws. Are we pro-legislation that will make us accomplices if we fail to report a neighbor suspected of not having a legal permit to stay? What about our bus drivers, schoolteachers and landlords? Up to now, it seemed OK ripping the benefits of this labor force. We are all accomplices, then, because we need those now becoming a target. Why then are we so afraid to admit it? We are working against ourselves if we affect the much-needed revenue of businesses that will have to close their doors.”*

Backstage in the dressing room, the nervous energy was high as each cowboy primped before a vanity mirror.

For some, like “Antonio Rios,” the nerves came from more than a little stage fright.

“Antonio Rios is 24,” said the worker from the avocado orchards of Michoacán, Mexico, who is actually 21.”*

From drought to wildfire, frost to fruit flies, those who grow and sell avocados in North County are reeling from a year of challenges and disasters that leave some wondering what a pound of the area’s most popular crop will cost next year.

Many experts say there will still be a good-sized harvest of the green fruit next spring, and that any market shortfall will be made up with avocados imported from Mexico and Chile.

That, and an effort to keep retail prices from fluctuating, will help keep the price tag of California avocados near what they have been in recent years, but there could be a slight hike after a year of historic blows to the avocado industry, they say.”*

The Mexican banda group Intocables sells as many tickets as a James Blunt concert at the Sokol Auditorium. The pretty-boy British pop singer sold out the 1,400-capacity room last year. Intocables did the same a few months after his show. Banda is a popular dance style that is played primarily with brass instruments and has a polkalike beat.

The concerts are advertised only in Latino neighborhoods. They’re in Spanish-language newspapers. People hear about them by word-of-mouth and on Spanish-language radio stations.

If you walk down South 24th Street, you’ll see the brightly colored fliers stacked on countertops in mom-and-pop shops such as Nena’s, Don Gaby’s and La Guera — places shoppers go for oversized avocados, authentic Mexican gorditas and tejano boots.”*

Food choices for holiday gatherings can be challenging for Latinos with diabetes. It is not easy to find dishes that are diabetic-friendly and that keep in line with diabetic nutritional guidelines. Goya Foods’ Mexican Nopalitos Salad is an ideal and healthy dish to complement a turkey dinner while also adding a bit of tradition to any holiday feast.

Goya in partnership with the American Diabetes Association (ADA) is creating newly revised recipes to be more appropriate for people with diabetes. As part of Goya’s sponsorship of the ADA’s Latino outreach program, “Por Tu Familia”, (”For Your Family”) these recipes will be available online. Por Tu Familia is the ADA’s community-based outreach campaign that brings information about the seriousness of diabetes and the importance of a healthy lifestyle to the Latino community.

Just in time for holidays the Goya Mexican Nopalitos Salad recipe is ready with additional recipes coming soon to the ADA and Goya web sites at www.diabetes.org and www.goya.com.

Ensalada Mexicana de Nopalitos Goya

(C)Goya Foods

Ingredients
1/2 jar of Goya nopalitos
1/2 onion finely diced
2 diced tomatoes
1/4 bunch of cilantro/parsley
4 tbs. lemon juice
2 tbs. red vinegar
1 avocado
2 serrano peppers
1 tbs. Goya Salsita Habanera
1/4 lb. white cheese
white pepper, to taste
salt, to taste

Directions
1. Place the Nopalitos in a large dish. Season with salt, white pepper and adobo seasoning.

2. Add onion, mixing often, cilantro and parsley, tomatoes, serrano peppers, vinegar, lemon, and Salsita Habanera Goya.

3. Mix well and serve on a plate and place avocado and tomato wedges around it, top with white cheese and plenty of diced parsley.
Serves 13

Nutrition Info Per Serving:
Calories: 65.07
Fat: 4g
Sat Fat: 1.4g
Pro: 2.2g
Carb: 6.3g
Sodium: 630mg

Approximately 2.5 million Hispanic/Latino Americans over the age of 20 have diabetes and are at increased risk for serious complications such as heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, and amputations.

“Goya is excited to offer healthy options to our community that suffers disproportionately from diabetes,” said Evelio Fernandez, Goya Vice President and General Manager. “Offering healthy choices is a natural progression for Goya Foods and is in keeping with our commitment to producing the best-tasting, highest quality food for our customers.” The Latin American food leader has developed alternatives for health-conscious consumers, such as low-sodium beans and low-sodium seasonings. These new offerings complement Goya’s premier, heart-healthy Olive Oil which the company has produced since its inception in 1936 and, which has been rated as a “best overall” by a leading consumer publication.

Goya’s diabetic-friendly line of products includes: Organic Beans, Low-sodium Beans, Adobo Light, Olive Oil, and Sazón Natural y Completo (no salt added). For more information about Goya Foods and more recipes, visit: www.goya.com.
“*

Now that the creamiest most luscious Hass avocados from Mexico are available all year long in all 50 states, there’s even more reason to grab an apron — and get creative in the kitchen with Mexico’s Jewel – the avocado! The Avocado Producer and Exporting Packers Association of Michoacán (APEAM) invites families to share a favorite recipe featuring Avocados from Mexico in their “Viva Mexico’s Jewel!” recipe contest.

Everyone can participate. Cash prizes include $1,000 for the top-placing recipe and with prizes of $600 and $400 respectively, for those in second and third place. Ten (10) runners up will be awarded $100 each. The deadline for entries is Friday, November 30, 2007.

Don’t delay, whip up something extraordinary featuring the rich buttery flavor of Avocados from Mexico and let your cooking talents shine. Entries must be original recipes with Hass Avocados from Mexico as a key ingredient. All recipes will be judged on taste, visual appeal, originality, and ease of preparation. For the official contest rules and tips on how to write a recipe, visit www.avocadosfrommexico.com or send an email to info@mexicanavocados.com “*

In the winter of 2006/2007, more than a quarter of the country’s 2.4 million bee colonies — accounting for tens of billions of bees — were lost to CCD, Colony Collapse Disorder. This loss is projected have an $8 billion to $12 billion effect on America’s agricultural economy, but the consequences of CCD could be far more disastrous.

The role honeybees play in our diet goes beyond honey production. These seemingly tireless creatures pollinate about one-third of crop species in the U.S. Honeybees pollinate about 100 flowering food crops including apples, nuts, broccoli, avocados, soybeans, asparagus, celery, squash and cucumbers, citrus fruit, peaches, kiwi, cherries, blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, cantaloupe, melons, as well as animal-feed crops, such as the clover that’s fed to dairy cows. Essentially all flowering plants need bees to survive.”*

On the other side of the interstate is a large palm tree nursery. Only thin trunks remain. And large stands of green forests on the hillsides and hilltops are marked by great stretches of brown. But they only look like forests to the untrained eye.

“Those are avocados there at the top of the hill,” Larson says. “What’s interesting about San Diego County is we don’t have any native forests here. So when you see the sides or the tops of hills green, those are going to be avocado trees, 25,000 acres of them scattered across the county.”

The avocado trees are a gift of irrigation. California grows most of the nation’s avocados, and San Diego County produces most of those. Many acres of avocado trees have been roasted by wild fires in the last week. The fruit hangs shriveled and brown from drooping limbs. In one orchard, the leaves are still tinted a faint green. Larson snaps off a limb.”*

“If guacamole prices are higher when the Super Bowl rolls around in February, blame the fires in Southern California.

More than 20,000 acres of avocado trees in northern San Diego County have been lost, at least a third of the state’s crop, with another 15,000 acres threatened by flames, emergency officials said.”*

“Vegetable oil for frying

8 ounces corn tortillas (preferably a mixture of red, white and blue), cut into 1-inch strips

1 8- to 9-inch stick Mexican cinnamon, broken into pieces 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano

5 whole cloves

8 cups chicken stock

1 pound chicken breast, cut into 3/4 inch dice

4 to 6 tablespoons fresh lime juice, as needed, plus 4 to 6 slices of lime, for garnish

Salt

8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese

2 avocados, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice

1/2 cup finely sliced cilantro leaves.”*

Follow link for how to prepare

“-In “He’ll Take El Alto” (page 150), Dominican-American writer Junot Díz undertakes a tour of his neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, profiling restaurants and street food that are well worth a trip uptown. Diaz, a professor of creative writing at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and author of the soon-to-be-released The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, writes: “We Domos have Upper Manhattan on lock. Hard to walk anywhere without being tempted by something delicious.” A recipe for Dominican Sancocho is on page 159. A glossary of Dominican food terms is on page 158. “Address Book” (page 198) lists Díz’s favorite Dominican restaurants.

Salvadoran Los Angeles: In “His City of Angels” (page 160), professor, political commentator, and musician Rubén Martí­nez offers an intimate look at his native Los Angeles. A recent census estimate shows that there are “more than 600,000 Central Americans in Los Angeles, the majority from El Salvador.” “Salvadorans (along with their Guatemalan, Honduran, and Nicaraguan counterparts) are an integral part of a demographic revolution that has remade Los Angeles in the last generation.” Recipes for Pupusas (Salvadoran Stuffed Masa Cakes) and Encurtido de Repollo (Salvadoran Coleslaw) are on page 163. “Address Book” (page 162) recommends Salvadoran restaurants in L.A.

“Exiles on Main Street” (page 180): Ana Menéndez, a columnist for The Miami Herald and the author of In Cuba I Was a German Shepherd, introduces us to Miami’s Cuban food scene. Recipe for Tamal “en Cazuela” (Tamale Pie) is on page 185. “Address Book” (page 184) lists Menéndez’s favorite Cuban restaurants in Miami.

Food Lover’s Guide to Mexican Chicago: In “Chicago Mexicano“ (page 108), David Tamarkin, food and wine writer for Time Out Chicago, notes that half a million Mexicans call Chicago home and takes us on a tour of Chicago’s vibrant Mexican culture and delicious regional specialties. “Address Book” (page 112) recommends more than 20 Mexican restaurants.

In “As the Taco Turns” (page 54), Robb Walsh, author of The Texas Cowboy Cookbook and writer of The Taco Truck Gourmet blog for Houston Press, finds that taco trucks, already a fixture in Houston and Los Angeles, are bringing great Mexican food to other parts of the country. Walsh’s “Address Book” for the mobile kitchens on a roll in New Orleans, New York City, Seattle, and Portland, Oregon, is on page 66. For information about well-known chefs’ favorite taco trucks, visit www.gourmet.com.

“Advanced Latin Studies” (page 60): Gourmet editor Jane Daniels Lear sits down for a Q&A with Maricel Presilla, chef, author, historian, restaurateur, and a leading authority on the cultures and cuisines of Latin America.

In “The School that Salsa Built” (page 114), Patricia Sharpe, a regular contributor to Texas Monthly, looks at San Antonio’s Center for Foods of the Americas (CFA), the branch of the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) dedicated to Latino food. Texas entrepreneur Kit Goldsbury has given the school a large grant to expand the Center with a view to changing the face of the nation’s restaurant kitchens.

In Menu: “Carolina Cocina” (page 31), Colman Andrews finds that a wave of Mexican immigration is changing the definition of southern cooking in Durham, North Carolina, where you’ll find the fastest-growing Hispanic community in the country. More than 570,000 Hispanic people are living in Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill. Andrews recommends six great Mexican restaurants in North Carolina on page 36.

In “Kitchen Notebook” (page 189), Latino-food expert Seth Kugel, author of Nueva York, a travel guide to Latino New York City, offers a glossary of the Latin American specialty ingredients in this issue.

Roadfood: In “Plains Dandy” (page 40), Jane and Michael Stern eat at Rosita’s and Taco Town, authentic Mexican restaurants in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, which has been a Mexican-food destination for nearly a century.

Gourmet Entertains features a Mexican menu and a Puerto Rican menu: “From the Heart (page 142) offers a Pueblan meal: Sangrita; Mini Tortilllas with Corn Mushrooms and Fresh Tomatillo Salsa; Zucchini Soup; Beef with Guajillo Sauce Baked in Banana Leaves; Mexican White Rice; Tomatillo Guacamole; “Sighs of the Bride” Fritters; and Mixed Fruit in Cinnamon Lime Syrup. “Caribbean Dreams” (page 168), our Puerto Rican–inspired menu, includes: Pineapple Rum Cocktails; Shrimp in Escabeche; Garlic-Roasted Pork Shoulder; Yellow Rice with Pigeon Peas; Roasted Calabaza; Avocado Salad; Guanabana Sherbet with Tropical Fruit; and Coconut Rum Cake.

Seasonal Kitchen: Chicken and Corn. “In Every Pot” (page 73) offers chicken recipes with the regional flavors and cooking techniques of Latin America: Pollo a la Brasa (Peruvian Grilled Chicken); Tlatonile de Pollo (Veracruz Chicken with Sesame-Seed and Red-Chile Sauce); Ajiaco (Colombian Chicken, Corn, and Potato Stew); Arroz con Pollo (Cuban Chicken with Rice). And “Maize of Glory” (page 95) showcases corn’s remarkable versatility in recipes for Grilled Tamales with Poblanos and Fresh Corn; Pozole Rojo (Pork and Hominy Stew); Colombian Arepas; and Zucchini-Blossom Quesadillas.

The Last Touch: “Don’t Call It a Condiment” (page 204) offers five salsas that can each be prepared in 20 minutes or less: Chipotle Tomato Salsa; Guajillo and Tomatillo Salsa; Colombian Avocado Salsa; Ecuadoran Tamarillo Salsa; and Tomatillo Salsa. “

“Spanglish, a hybrid form of English and Spanish especially popular among young people, is one of the most striking ways two of the world’s most widely used languages are evolving in response to immigration and globalization.

Spanglish is “a very creative, jazzy way of being Latino in the U.S. today,” said Ilan Stavans, a professor of Latin American and Latino culture at Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts, who has studied and defended this hybrid language.

Almost 92 percent of U.S. Latinos say it is very important to learn English, and another 7 percent say it is somewhat important, according to the Latino National Survey, the most in-depth look at the country’s 43 million people of Latin American descent. But English-language acquisition usually does not happen all at once. In Spanglish: The Making of A New American Language (2003), Stavans presented thousands of American words with both Spanish and English etymological roots spoken by a wide array of people, young and old — immigrants, Latinos born in the United States and non-Latinos.

“It is also a general form of communication used in Puerto Rico, the U.S.-Mexican border and other “hybrid’ spaces. In other words, it breaches boundaries,” Stavans told USINFO.

Spanglish is widely spoken in the Latino community, although its usage varies from place to place and generation to generation. Stavans sees it as a good thing. He has been translating Don Quijote de la Mancha, or Don Quixote, by Cervantes, into Spanglish, just in case anyone doubts what this hybrid can do.

One of Stavans’ favorite Spanglish words is estressar, which expresses a very modern form of anxiety, in English to be stressed out. Some Spanglish words render an English word — average, for example — in a form easier for Spanish speakers to say: averaje (a-ve-RAH-je). Others show the wit and imagination characteristic of all slang: someone who is assimilating may be referred to as an avocado, or a dynamic female may be referred to as an aeróbica (ay-RO-bi-ka).

Stavans, who was born in Mexico to a Jewish family with roots in Eastern Europe, was raised in a multilingual environment. He has authored many books, including Dictionary Days (2005), On Borrowed Words: A Memoir of Language (2001) and The Hispanic Condition: The Power of a People (1995).

He sees Spanglish not as an expression of alienation from U.S. culture but as “an attempt to break that alienation, to find ways for Latinos to assimilate — although on our own terms.” Spanglish speakers are constructing a positive identity and the use of Spanglish seems to accelerate or facilitate their Americanization.

To those who worry that Spanglish will corrupt English or Spanish, Stavans says: “Language exists in a state of perennial corruption. Spanglish doesn’t pollute English or Spanish more than the languages of adolescents, sports, advertising, etc. — or, for that matter, any other foreign language. A healthy national language always figures out a way to negotiate with its counterparts, internally and externally, no matter in what state of development these tongues find themselves.”

Moreover, Spanglish continues to develop and change. Stavans has taught courses on Spanglish at Amherst and elsewhere, and several of his former students now are pursuing careers in the field, becoming part of a network of researchers and informants. “I’ve been regularly adding numerous entries to my database. I hope to bring out a new edition [of the dictionary] in the next few years,” he said.

“Spanglish should be used as a stepping-stone in the process of English-language acquisition,” he said. “And it’s crucial to stress that as appealing and fashionable as Spanglish is, the only route for Latinos to become full-fledged Americans is through English. This, of course, doesn’t mean they should abandon Spanglish; instead, they should use it as a key to open the American door.”

Or, as Stavans put it in an interview with National Public Radio: “Latinos are learning English. That doesn’t mean that they should sacrifice their original language or that they should give up this in-betweenness that is Spanglish. Spanglish is a creative way also of saying, ‘I am an American and I have my own style, my own taste, my own tongue.’”

For more on Spanglish and other recent developments in English, see the new electronic journal Dynamic English.”

“El Torito, a pioneer and market leader in the full-service Mexican casual dining segment in California and known for its 50 plus year reputation as the “The Original Mexican Restaurant,” opened its first location in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. on Monday, June 18th at 3 p.m.

The new 7,250 square foot El Torito restaurant maintains the warmth and authenticity that is characteristic of the Mexican culture, and reflects its rich heritage throughout California with a more contemporary look. El Torito is located at 12369 Foothill Blvd., west of the 15 fwy.

The new Rancho Cucamonga location marks the latest El Torito restaurant to pepper the culinary landscape throughout the California, Oregon and Arizona regions. The menu features all of the traditional El Torito signature recipes from Executive Chef Pepe Lopez, a Sinaloa, Mexican-born native and one of the industry’s foremost authorities on authentic Mexican cuisine. Guests will enjoy signature items including tableside guacamole made fresh at your table, Mexican Caesar Salad made with Cilantro-Pepita Dressingâ„¢, spicy Mexico City Tacos, taqueria style, and the popular Cadillac Margaritaâ„¢.

El Torito is widely known for its fresh, quality ingredients and authentic, made-from-scratch Mexican cuisine. To complement the artful Mexican flavors, the Rancho Cucamonga design combines contemporary Mexican architecture with bold colors of mango yellow, azul blue and avocado green walls and paintings by Los Angeles artist David Early. The timeless dining room environment is designed to provide an overall authentic, fun and energy-filled experience, while the adjacent cantina is enlivened by a traditional wrought iron display of tequila and pierced tin stars hanging from the ceiling.

“We are very excited to open our 8th El Torito in the Inland Empire. This location provides another opportunity to bring our authentic Mexican cuisine to families who are familiar with the El Torito experience as a result of visiting one of our other Southern California locations,” says Julie Koenig-Browne, Vice President of Marketing at Real Mex Restaurants, Inc.

Key Restaurant Facts:

Hours of operation are as follows: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. on Sundays.
Phone 909 463-9212

About El Torito

Founded in 1954, El Torito introduced traditional Mexican dishes, gracious hospitality and a belief that “mi casa es su casa.” More than 50 years later, El Torito maintains that same commitment to authenticity, innovation and treating each guest as if they were dining in their own homes. Executive Chef Roberto “Pepe” Lopez’s commitment to freshness and quality is reflected in his traditional and unique cuisine, including the authentic flavors and recipes of his regional chef specials. El Torito’s menu features Mexican favorites such as fresh tableside guacamole customized to guest’s preferences, fresh chile rellenos with fire roasted pasilla chiles, handmade tamales made fresh with stone ground masa and sizzling enchiladas. El Torito also prides itself on its innovative cocktail menu, offering 36 varieties of authentic Mexican tequila.

About Real Mex

Headquartered in Cypress, California, Real Mex Restaurants is the largest full-service, casual dining Mexican restaurant chain operator in the United States with 158 restaurants in California and an additional 34 company-owned restaurants in 13 other states. They include 69 El Torito Restaurants, 69 company-owned Chevys Fresh Mex Restaurants, 35 Acapulco Mexican Restaurants, 10 El Torito Grill Restaurants, the Las Brisas Restaurant in Laguna Beach, and several regional restaurant concepts such as Who-Song and Larry’s, Casa Gallardo, El Paso Cantina and GuadalaHARRY’s. Real Mex Restaurants is committed to the highest standards and is dedicated to serving the freshest Mexican food with excellent service in a clean, comfortable and friendly environment.

For more information, please visit the company’s web sites at www.eltorito.com, www.chevys.com or www.acapulcorestaurants.com.”

“Turkey meat is very healthy and nutritive for our body, but is also very popular for people on a diet. Here are some new recipes with turkey to create variety into your diet and meals plan.

Hass Avocado from Mexico Wrap with Turkey, Swiss and Cranberry Mustard
Serves 6

6 whole wheat tortillas, 10 inches in diameter
1 cup cranberry mustard (see recipe)
12 slices roast turkey
6 slices Swiss cheese
3 Hass Avocados from Mexico, peeled, pitted and sliced lengthwise salt to taste

1. Lay tortillas flat on a clean work surface. Spread the cranberry mustard equally among the tortillas.
2. Lay two slices of turkey on each tortilla; cover turkey with a slice of Swiss cheese.
3. Top the Swiss cheese with 4 slices avocado each and sprinkle with a little salt.
4. Assemble wraps by folding in both sides and the bottom of each tortilla up over the filling; then roll to close.
5. To serve, cut in half crosswise or into 2 inch slices crosswise and arrange on a serving platter.

Cranberry Mustard
Makes 1 cup:

1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup cranberry sauce

1. Whisk ingredients together thoroughly and chill.
Recipe by Chef Ivy Stark, Courtesy of Hass Avocados from Mexico

Hass Avocado from Mexico Turkey & Tomatillo Stew

2 1/2 quarts turkey or chicken stock
2 1/2 cups shredded or chopped turkey
3 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup onion, medium diced
1 cup celery, medium dice
1 tablespoon garlic, finely diced
1 1/2 cup white sweet potato or yam placed in water
2 cups tomatillo, large diced
1/2 cup cilantro, medium diced
3 Hass Avocados from Mexico, 1/3-inch diced
1 tablespoon crí¨me fraiche or sour cream for garnish
3 cups fried tortilla, julianned; save 1 cup for garnish
2 tablespoons cumin, optional salt and pepper to taste

1. Place a medium sized stockpot on high heat.
2. Sauté the onions, celery, garlic and sweet potatoes in olive oil. Sweat the vegetables for about five minutes; do not brown.
3. Deglaze vegetables with turkey stock. Add tomatillo and let simmer for approximately 15 minutes.
4. After 15 minutes, add 2 cups of fried tortilla; save the additional cup for garnish.
5. Add the avocados and cilantro.
6. Serve the stew in bowls; garnish with crí¨me fraiche and fried tortilla.
Recipe by Chef Kenneth Collins of Tour, NYC, Courtesy of Hass Avocados from Mexico
To watch video cooking segments visit: http://www.mexhassrecipes.com. “

“It began as a migrant worker’s dream for creating a life with security. Now, a year since the once tiny paleta company announced its march to the Pacific, La Paletera has begun selling franchises in California.

Texas-based La Paletera is now interviewing prospective franchisees in Central and Southern California, officially launching its long-anticipated Westward Development Plan. The plan to take this hot industry concept outside the Texas borders for the first time was announced in April 18, 2006, when property for its first store in El Paso was obtained. That store is due to open this spring.

Clayton Johnson, president and CEO of La Paletera, and Keith Hudson, president and CEO of Houston-based Seaboard Services which handles franchise sales for the company, will made the announcement April 18, 2007, from Seaboard’s franchise sales offices in Houston. Off the drawing board and into reality, La Paletera is now set to expand all of central and southern California.

Franchise sales efforts have begun on the West Coast.

La Paletera, a Mexican concept which specializes in all-natural fruit products and fast-casual hot food service. It is best known for its paletas, popsicles made of mashed and cut fruit. In addition, La Paletera sells fresh fruit cups loaded with all kinds of local and tropical fruits then spiced with lime juice and chili powder. Freezes and top-of-the-line gourmet ice creams are also on the menu.

Hot lunch and dinner entrees include Tortas with ham, turkey and pork or Chicharrones with Cueritos, which is pork marinated in vinegar, fried and served on a wheat wafer with sour cream, tomato, avocado and shredded cabbage. These items are made to order in the stores.

In addition, La Paletera has added several fresh custards and puddings. These include Flan de Queso, a cheese custard; Flan de Napolitano, the classic caramel flan served pie-style; and Arroz con Leche, a sweet rice pudding. These join a dessert menu with some of the richest, creamiest, most flavorful designer ice creams on the market in Texas. The new designer ice cream flavors include Apple Dapple, ice cream made with fresh apples and packed with an apple pie base. Other new flavors are Mexican Chocolate with Cinnamon, Tequila, Rum Raisin and Orange Chocolate.

The fruit products contain no preservatives and are all made from fresh fruits - using no canned fruits or concentrates. While the Hispanic market has long been familiar with paletas and brought early success to the company, the all-natural ingredients and fresh fruits has caught the attention of consumers in other market bases with concerns for eating healthy, especially with snack and dessert foods. This cross-over customer base has propelled the growth far beyond original projections.

The company began in Corpus Christi in 1997 when founder and Guadalajara native Amy Salazar came up with the idea of exporting authentic paletas and fruit cups from Mexico into the United States. With very little available cash, however, she began using what fresh ingredients she had on hand. Unfamiliar with the product, consumers in Corpus Christi were slow to venture in, but eventually her customer base took off. By 1998, she opened a second store and during the next three years, opened five more. She later sold some of those stores to expand to other cities.

In 2002 Clayton Johnson, making a successful exit from the oil business, became fascinated with the concept and contacted Hudson. Johnson purchased majority ownership of the company from Salazar, who now operates as vice president in charge of business development. The company has been on a roll ever since with some 80 stores open or soon to open in Texas.

Check out La Paletera at its web site, http://www.lapaletera.com. For interviews or additional information, please contact Keith Hudson, 713-621-6200″

“California avocado growers are suing the federal government for ending a nearly century-old quarantine and permitting Mexican-grown avocadoes into the state.

The suit contends that the Mexican avocados contain pests that threaten the $341 million California industry.”

“I wish to address our Mexican immigration problem. I am a retired avocado grower from Fallbrook. I have lived in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, in the winter months for the last 20 years. I know well the Mexican people and their culture.

Some legal provision must be made for the Mexican worker. As it is now the worker must pay approximately $3,000 to come across the border illegally. Once he is here, he must find work to pay his debt and send money back to his family. If he gets sick or has an accident, he cannot go back to Mexico because of the coyote cost, so he must use our medical facilities. These workers do not want to live here; they only want to work and go home.”

“It is good picking weather for the back-breaking job, the workers say, better than it has been in the last few days.

But deep anxiety still lingers among those who make a living working the fields of strawberries and celery, avocado and citrus in verdant Ventura County. Thirty-five years after labor leader Cesar Chavez brought the plight of the migrant to the forefront and planted the seeds of reform through his United Farm Workers, some hardships still remain, some too big to be bargained with.”