- I suspect you’re wondering, “Who is Anne Leblanc?”
- Probably, you’re also dying to know if Pistachio Avocados are grown in the States?
- In addition, Readers of my blog often ask me about food blogging. Who? What? Where? When? and How?
In this week’s short Post, I’m offering a 3-for-the-price-of-one Special by answering all these weighty questions.
Our French Fridays with Dorie recipe is Anne Leblanc’s Pistachio Avocado. As Dorie explains, this really can’t be called a recipe. It’s more about being a great idea followed by a list of ingredients.
My Ingredients
The late Anne Leblanc was of Huilerie J. Leblanc fame. According to Dorie, this French company still makes some of the finest, fullest-flavored nut oils in the world. Buy them here or in speciality food stores. More than a decade ago, Ms. Leblanc suggested that Dorie pair a ripe halved avocado with pistachio oil to be offered as a easy side to crab, shrimp and lobster salads or grilled meats. After halving the avocado, sprinkle with fresh lemon juice and Fleur de sel (sea salt) and pour Pistachio Oil into its hollow cavity in the center. It’s simple and simply delicious.
Avocado with Meyer Lemon olive oil and Dukkah
With apologies to Anne, I improvised with ingredients I had on hand. My oil was Sonoma Harvest Meyer Lemon olive oil. I sprinkled Dukkah, a Middle Eastern nut and spice blend, over the top. Although I bought my Dukkah at Trader Joe’s, I love this flavorful combo and will make my own in the future. Find the recipe for Dukkah here or here or here. This was a delightful snack.
Avocado with Meyer Lemon olive oil and Dukkah
The results of the State of Food Blogging Survey, conducted by Foodista and Zephyr Adventures, were released this week. Not surprisingly, our FFWD group mirrors the Survey profile.
Although not pretending to be uber-scientific, here’s a brief re-cap by Allan Wright of Zephyr Adventures: “Six-hundred and seventy-nine food bloggers completed a 32-question online survey. The respondents were primarily Citizen Bloggers (77%) with a minority of Entrepreneurial Bloggers promoting their own company (19%) and the remainder connected to corporations (4%). Based on the respondents, food bloggers tend to be from the United States, female, between the ages of 25 and 44, and either married or living with a significant other. [The number of food bloggers 65 or older, like me, is miniscule.] Forty-two percent are parents and 81% are employed or self-employed full or part time. Forty-two percent of respondents have no background related to food blogging while 58% have some related experience.
When asked “Why do you blog?” 87% of respondents replied, “Food is my passion.” Four additional answers that drew heavy response included: to make a name for myself in the food world; Writing is my passion [like me] ; In hopes of turning my blog into a job; and, to have a voice so I can say what I want to say.”
To see the entire survey’s interesting results, go here.
Many of my FFWD colleagues had their own interpretation of this week’s avocado recipe which you can see at our group Link.
Love your rendition, Mary…you’re right, so many options! And thanks for sharing the results of the blogging survey….I’m on the older side, too :/ Off to Iowa and Illinois this week…I’ll send your regards to ISU 🙂
Hi Mary, I’m also one of the minuscule! Glad to know I’m in such good company! I never took the survey…actually I never saw it. Enjoyed your post!
Your avocado looks wonderful…I’ll have to give the dukkah a try…sounds very interesting!
Have a great weekend!
Hmmm, I am far from a typical food blogger – apart from age and gender, I don’t hit any of their norms. Hey, I like being different! Love the dukkah idea – adds a bit of crunch as well as the nutty taste.
Your version sounds equally as wonderful.
Ouch – I hit three out of the four norms – probably the most normal I’ll ever be in my life 🙂
Normal, in my opinion, isn’t good. So far, Cakelaw is winning. Apart from age and gender, she didn’t hit any of the norms.
thanks for bringing Pistachio Oil & Meyer Lemon Oil into my consciousness.
My consciousness is getting HUGE!
Back to you about Roaring Fork Geology, blooming Bitterbrush bushes, foreign film rec’s, and maintaining a proper Spread Sheet.
I like your riff on this week’s dish – very creative. It’s always good to use what’s on hand, as well. The blog statistics are interesting, but I wonder how much they had to do with the demographics of the two groups’ followers. I’m not convinced that there aren’t many older bloggers out there.
Um Meyer Lemon Olive Oil? I need to find me some of that!!! Love your Dukkah idea too. Happy weekend Mary!
I´d love try dukkah, and it looks gorgeous over your avocado. There are so many different ways to embellish it and I would probably love all of them. Thanks for the link to the survey, it´s always interesting to read about that stuff, even though I forget tomorrow. Have a great weekend Mary!
So much to chew in this post. I blog about the Mediterranean Diet and yet I don’t know this dukkah spice blend. Thanks so much I will explore. You prepared yours just like a Mediterranean and I sure lemon oil must have given it a wonderful high note. I think just filling a half with oil may be a little heavy.
Really interesting about the survey I will read the details later. I fit it pretty well but I am a little older than the average writer and I do have some background in the healthfood business… interesting, interesting. Thanks so much.
Your version looks delicious! I just saw that jar of Dukkah at TJ’s, didn’t know what it was, but was in a hurry so didn’t look into it. Now I will!
Being a male I don’t even know what I’m doing here? But dear, I think you missed the opportunity to title this post Mary Hirsh’s Dukkah Avocado. I”m going to look for the Dukkah at Trader Joes. Never heard of it…
Dukkah!! Oh what a brilliant brilliant idea. I might just try that next time. Bon weekend Mary!
Hi Mary! this dukkah spice mix is fantastic! I am so going to make for myself and I think I am going to use pretty much on everything including the my avocado which I hope is going to be ripe by next Friday’s post! Have a great weekend!!
Yummy, sounds delicious. Reminds me that I tried Sesame ice cream just last week and it was wonderful. It was the monthly flavor at the ice cream shop near my house and I hope that they decide to have it more regularly.
Mary, you certainly added an interesting twist to Anne Leblanc´s Pistachio Avocado there….I have never heard of this spice blend either but it does look intriguing – I am sure that your version must have been wonderful although I must say that I think the late Madame Leblanc had a point when she insisted on using pistachio oil – I am off buying some fresh white asparagus and I will drizzle the same “dressing” over those spears as I did over the avaocado, we will see how that tastes.
Have a lovely Monday!
Meyer lemon olive oil ? Yes please ! And I have actually never heard of Dukkah but it looks fab. And a great pairing with avocado – well played. So glad you included a few recipes too. I will hit up my local TJ’s to see what I am aiming for and will then give my own a test. Thanks also for including the blogger survey stats. Pretty interesting indeed…..
Mary, I did not use Pistachio oil on the shrimp. The shrimp is marinated in olive oil with parsley, oregano, garlic and tomato paste. After reading all the comments I am definitely going to look
for the oil and if that fails, I will try to make it. Tricia made hers and said it was very good.
I love the look of the Dukkah sprinkled on top of your avocado, I am going to search for that
also. On to the creamy goat cheese and strawberries…..
I’m very slow this week. It was too hot this weekend to sit in front of a computer. I just bought the Dukkah at TJ’s but haven’t opened it yet. I think you should try the homemade pistachio oil. It’s delicious.
I didn’t participate in the survey, but I’m out of that age range too, and I’m not under 25. Interesting stuff.
Hope all is well with you and that you getting settled in. Happy Monday!
The Dukkah sounds like a clever alternative 🙂
Your photo looks great!
The survey is very interesting.
Love that you defy the stats!!!
Just beautiful, Mary! I love avocados so I’ll have to make this one up. I have a feeling I’d prefer your lemon olive oil version, though. We’ve used Dukkah on baked Halibut – it’s really good.
It looks like we’re off the hook for family events until the 4th of July – after 3 weekends in a row – so I’m looking forward to getting back in the kitchen.
Delicious!