“If summer had one defining scent, it’d definitely be the smell of barbecue”
— Katie Lee
Pesto is a sauce made with fresh basil leaves, pine nuts that require taking out a bank loan to purchase, fresh garlic, and dry-aged parmesan cheese all locked in olive oil. Initially made with a mortar and pestle making pesto is now incredibly quick and easy thanks to modern electronic kitchen appliances.
Stepping away from authentic pesto, with the risk of inciting the wrath of an angry mob of conservative Italians, the recipe has drifted away from its conception to include different combinations of nuts and herbs, with or without cheese to fully customized to one’s personal taste – a sacrilege that will soon include our avocado pesto.
On their own avocados, which incidentally belong to the same family as cinnamon, have a very unique, subtle, nutty, grassy flavor that may even be described as “buttery” due to their smooth texture. Combine with a few other ingredients and you’d get today’s creamy pesto that is rich without being overly indulgent, dairy-free yet has the silky consistency of cheese, and when spread on perfectly golden brown crostini, it is a joy ride to flavor town.
