Guacamole

In 1936, the Sunset All-Western Cook Book ran 28 avocado recipes, but no guacamole. It debuted in our pages in 1942 (spelled "Huacamole"). Besides avocados, tomato, and garlic, the recipe called for a little mayo and salad oil, and a touch of sugar. By 1970, we we'd moved beyond the expected uses, proclaiming in one story, “It’s a dip, a sauce, a dressing, a spread. It’s guacamole.” Still, in 2012, most of California’s 460 million pounds of harvested avocados became, yes, guacamole.

Recipes

Gabriel's Guacamole: Here's the Mexican-style classic

Indian Guacamole: Bring out the pappadums to scoop up this South Asian version of guac