If I promise to bring rosemary focaccia and tapenade, can I come over for Boodles cocktails? (I just like to say Boodles.)

While diplomacy certainly has its place, I think that "make guacamole following your favorite recipe" is the statesman's way out of joining the great guacamole debate. Opinions on what belongs -- and doesn't belong -- in guacamole vary widely and are expressed and defended with great vigor. Surely you should have a dog in this fight.

Also, I am shocked (shocked!) to see you promoting beverages made with high fructose corn syrup.

Ok, not really, but I'm totally serious about the guacamole.

I wonder if the limonata in Italy also contains high fructose corn syrup. Okay, here is what I think belongs in guacamole:

Avocado
Red onion
Jalepeno or similar hot peppers
Very finely minced garlic
Salt
Lime juice

Lemon juice will do in a pinch. Chopped beautifully ripe tomatoes are lovely, though I often opt for tomatolessness. Pink tomatoes are not lovely, ever. Fresh salsa is also acceptable, if it is good. A pinch of cumin does not go amiss. I do not spit on cilantro in my guacamole but do not include it myself.

Not acceptable: Bell peppers or other crunchy vegetables not named above. Oregano or other herbs not named above. Olives. Black pepper. Indignities such as garlic salt, lemon salt, or celery salt. Nuts. Cheese.

Guacamole texture is another point of discussion. I chop some of my avocado and mash the rest. Garlic, cilantro, salt, lime juice.

good lord! we must be channelling the same drink gods as my new favorite summer beverage is "hippie lemonade" (which is the stuff i get at whole foods that is sweetened with honey and organic and whatnot) and gin.

beth and i accidentally discovered this beverage after we ran out of other mixers and alcohol at one party a couple of months ago (or was it last summer?) it was shockingly good and i was shockingly able to remember!

i must go get limonata. it sounds even better because it's bubbly! a tarter gin spritzer. how lovely.

and now i must try the red onion in my guacamole, and the garlic. yum. gosh, now i'm really hungry. (this is the problem with reading your blog at work where there is sadly little tastey foods.)

Yes, Kim, you will definitely love the limonada version! So good. If it makes you feel any better, I also would like to eat some guacamole posthaste and am equally out of luck even though I am working at home today.

I miss you all. Want to come to Cleveland? We can get good and ginnily blitzed. I also have some delicious brandied cherries for putting in other drinks...

I mash as roughly as possible, but getting everything incorporated breaks up all the bigger pieces, anyway. I have always used lemon juice, but I will try the lime juice next time. I also use pureed fresh garlic and salt. Anything else is an error of judgment.

Que pasa? La comida fue absolutamente deliciosa. Los amo a todos!!!!

Send me more recipies.