So, I have found some new inspiration for my long neglected blog.

It started when someone turned around at work last week and asked me if making a layered Avocado Dip for her dinner guests would be a bit.. “daggy”.

You know the dip? I mean that one ya mum used to make in the 80’s (when people still made dips). There’s many a version, but most generally comprised of a layer of mashed avocado, then sour cream mixed with taco seasoning, then grated cheese, tomato and spring onion. Some variations even swanked it up with refried beans on the bottom. You with me now? Yeah you know it.

Labelling that beloved Avocado Dip as “daggy” though, sent me off on my latest rant. I feel that in a world where quinoa is the new rice salad, where the humble potato chip has given way to the kale chip and cupcakes are sooooo 2009, people seem to have turned their nose up at food that tastes good. Because it’s not in fashion anymore.

So, I’m on a mission to resurrect a bit of retro food and I’m starting with that Avocado Dip. Don’t even try to deny it, the Avocado Dip I’m talking about, is bloody delicious. Especially with Savoy bickies.

All this started me reminiscing about the legend of the Avocado dip in our family.  Apparently it was originally Aunty Connie’s dip, after all, she was the ‘early adopter’ of the bunch, always the one to introduce us to the flavour of the month. I’ll never forget when she first bought sushi to a family event. Oooo Ahhh!

Anyway, Aunty Connie made the original dip, she bought it to every birthday, christening and communion. Until one day, mum (aka Aunty Rose) decided to make it instead. I can’t remember why she made it that once, but who cares, point is, everyone liked hers better. Mum says it’s because she put less taco seasoning in, so it didn’t taste so much like “dirty feet”. It took the Italians a while to appreciate the flavour of cumin.

So Aunty Rose became champion of the Avocado Dip, she was responsible for bringing it to every family function. She introduced it to other friends and family, loved by all, was Aunty Rose’s Avocado Dip.

Alas, Aunty Rose’s reign at the top was not to last forever. One day Cathy, my cousin’s wife, who was fairly new on the scene at the time made the dip instead. A fairly bold move if you ask me, making an Italian matriarch’s signature and serving it up to her. But we are not the mafia, so she survived another day and in fact, everyone liked Cathy’s dip better.  So it was time for Aunty Rose to hand the baton to Cathy. To this day, Cathy is the Queen of the dip, she grates the cheese and cuts the spring onion thicker. My allegiances stay with my mum I always preferred her thinly sliced spring onion.

I bring you Aunty Rose’s Avocado Dip, not quite the original, but the best.

Aunty Rose’s Avocado Dip (with a few of Amanda’s edits)

2 ripe avocadoes
squeeze lemon juice
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 x 200g tub sour cream (use full fat or light depending which day it is)
1/4 to 1/3 packet taco seasoning
1 cup finely grated cheddar cheese
2 tomatoes, de-seeded and finely chopped
1 spring onion, finely sliced

1. Mash avocado, with a squeeze of lemon juice and pepper to taste (the taco seasoning is full of salt so you don’t need to add any to the avo). Spread into the base of a shallow serving bowl or deep plate.
2. Mix sour cream and taco seasoning, adjusting the quantity to taste (depending how much you like the taste of dirty feet) and spread evenly over the avocado.
3. Top with cheese, then tomato and spring onion and you’re ready to go!

Advice:
I like serving this dip with a pate knife or teaspoon to scoop the dip, because dipping with biscuits can get a bit messy!
I think it tastes great in its simplicity, but if you want to funk this thang up a bit, try adding some chopped coriander, lime juice and grating of lime rind to the avocado. Yummo!
The dip can be refrigerated for a few hours, but is best served on the day you make it.

Images:

Avocado Dip: ediblepress

Hooray!:  http://dambreaker.wordpress.com/2011/05/26/1000-views-yay/