Let’s spill out some Monday life facts, shall we? No party is ever complete without a bowl of creamy, savory, chunky guacamole. The type you can only make at home; packed with both sass and flavor. I have to admit (no offence to anyone); I’ve been a bit disappointed by the ones I’ve tried in North America. It’s not the taste that’s the problem, no. It’s the texture. That’s exactly what’s eluding all fellow “guac enthusiasts”- the texture is not on point.

You see; guac is not a runny dip, or a soup, or a puree. I suspect often times, a blender or food processor come into play where none is actually required. You want to be able to see and taste the tomatoes, the onions, the cilantro, the hints of jalapeño pepper and fresh lime. The vegetables (with the exception of the onion) should not be finely, but coarsely chopped.

Most importantly, onions matter. But yes, here’s the thing- none of us want to walk around at a party with pungent onion breath (myself included). I have a trick to guac that’s packed with flavor and breath-friendly, if there’s ever such a thing. The secret lies in using pickled red onions, which are a burst of flavor and make all onions pale in comparison.

The night before you make this wonderful appetizer- pickle 1 red onion in a glass jar or tupperware with 4 tablespoons of white vinegar and about 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt (yes, I leave sugar out of this magnificent brine). When you pickle an onion, you bring out the natural sugars in it, and it looses most of the after-smell. I guarantee it. Flavor-wise, you can only go up from here!

This guac is a win-win; a total friend & family favorite. At first, the thought of pickled red onions was a bit “out there” but once you try it, you’ll be pickling those onions every single time. I always pickle the onions the day before and then prep the guac hours before it’s served. No one likes day(s) old guac.

So yes, I guess you can say am a total guac snob? But apart from that, I’ll never ever snob food at all. Except for maybe coffee & dark chocolate. Those have requirements, too. But that’s it. I promise. So please… try this! You will love.

TRICK: If you save some of the avocado cores (which I often throw away immediately) you could add them to your bowl for decoration. They also serve a dual purpose, as they keep your avocados from oxidizing or blackening quickly. The acid from the lemon and the vinegar should also aid in preserving the avocado.