I have never been to Mexico. I’d like to. I’d really like to (hint hint – please, kindly, win lotto and send me a plane ticket??). How good would the markets be there?! My Mexican fascination began with Frida Kahlo paintings. Then a Mexican bar in Melbourne where I danced on the bartops with my wonderful friend Beth. She now does grown up things like own a gallery (!) but back then she used to make me go a little wayward, that Beth. Naughty. Back to my story…. Selma made that movie. Then Barbara Kingsolver (FAVOURITE AUTHOR OF ALL TIME. Sorry for shouting.) wrote The Lacuna. And most recently my sister in law took me to this great little restaurant / bar, Chica Bonita, tucked into an alleyway by Manly Beach.

Menu at Chicabonita, Manly.

We ordered burritos. Of course. Mine was pulled pork. Matt’s was beef. It had CHIPS in it (a.k.a Awesome). Here it is:

The “California” burrito

You want to see those Mexican sodas don’t you? I can tell. They are yummy. And I’m not even a soda person.

But more about chips, this is what B1 ate – chips with lots of things on top (avocado, beans, peppers) She was in heaven. Check out the concentration.

Fries PLUS.

The happy experience decided our dinner. We had been bitten by the bug and needed to get more avocado into us. Have I told you how wonderful avocados are in Australia? Even better than the oranges. I know, right? People around here use avocados so wantonly it would make you gasp. Surely the collective noun (clearly a current obsession, this collective noun business) for avocados is “an abundance”.

Aussie avocados.

We ate corn chips with guacamole and mushroom quesadillas, washed down with cold beer. It was lovely. I won’t patronise you with a prescriptive gaucamole recipe, rather a description of the only things I put in mine:

Avocados – smashed. Coriander, leaves plus a bit of cheeky stalk – finely sliced. Red Onion – also finely sliced. Chilli – that too. Tomato – deseeded, diced. Lime – squeezed. Salt n Pepper – of course.

Guacamole, my way.

Do you put anything else in your guacamole? Mayonnaise? Garlic? Secret ingredient? Perhaps I am a purist. I like it straight up. With a side of daydream. Ahhh, Mexico….

Hugs, Hannah x