A large organic hass avocado is between $2 and $4. You need at least half of one to make good avocado toast. If the loaf of bread cost you $5, and makes 20 slices, that's a base cost of $2.25.
> A large organic hass avocado is between $2 and $4.
This is pretty outrageous. In the 1990s, we would shop for avocados in Mission district Mexican grocery stores, where they would average four for a $1. People don't realize that everyone had an abundant number of avocados in every Bay Area home back then because they were so cheap and plentiful.
Something happened, and by the end of the 1990s, the drug cartels had taken over the avocado market and raised the prices by a considerable amount. One wonders how much the average consumer of avocados contributes to the criminal cartels by keeping them flush with cash.
To be honest, the cartels rule and own everything in Mexico (maybe not always directly, but their influence is enormous), so I don't see why avocados are special in this regard.
> I don't see why avocados are special in this regard
They are special in the sense that the cartels went after the avocado industry in the 1990s due to the rise of synthetic opioids, which hurt their drug profits. Both avocados and heroin are primarily produced in Michoacan state. According to some sources, the avocado industry became more profitable for the cartels than heroin.
Those prices seem overly dramatic. Avocados (certainly not native to the "few acres of snow" that is Canada) is 5 for ~$6 at the moment. Bread is sometimes $4 for a crunchy loaf I like, or maybe $1 in flour when I make my own.
I don't eat avocado toast, but it costs a lot less than what most people spend on decent coffee in a morning.
If you or anyone else is interested in bringing the price of avocados down, the state of Hawaii is currently funding (on a very small scale) avocado farming in Hawaii, which produces a non-Hass variety that is about two to four times the size, and has a slightly buttery taste, but when prepared with the standard ingredients, doesn't really differ all that much from the Hass except in color; it has a more yellowish tinge than green. But seriously, if anyone wants to beat the cartels at their own game, Hawaii is where it's at for avocado production.
I did put the term "organic" in there for good reason. Yes, I know that not everyone cares, but I was trying to go to the opposite end of the spectrum to the "50c" claim I was replying to.
You can make okay avocado-toast for a lot less, especially if you've been spending the last year and a half baking your own bread anyway. I don't think I've ever spent $4 on an avocado, but if I did, it would have to be the equivalent of this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baked_potato#/media/File:North...
If I need to store guac, a layer of lime juice and plastic wrap without air-avo contact keeps it green and good. Can't say I've tried keeping half an avocado but I suspect the same technique could work if the acidic flavor isn't a nuisance (there might be alternatives to lime). Maybe a spray bottle could apply it.
I just stick an avocado half in a plastic container in the fridge. Stays green enough for days. If it gets brown, it's a thin layer that doesn't affect the flavor anyway and you can remove it without losing too much avocado if you don't like it.
Here's a secret hack to bring back the flavor of old avocado in the fridge for a few days: a half teaspoon of soy sauce and a few drops of hot sauce. You can thank me later.
