Green Gold - by Sarah Allaback & Monique F Parsons

Book Synopsis

A lively and engrossing cultural history of the avocado and the people who transformed it into an American obsession

"Whether you're a history buff or just enjoy a chip full of guacamole, you'll be thoroughly captivated . . . Green Gold is a well researched, captivating story." --Rick Bayless, James Beard Award-winning chef, author, and restaurateur

The avocado is the quintessential symbol of aspirational living, a ubiquitous agricultural favorite, and the driver of an $18 billion global industry. How did this regional Latin American staple become a star of Super Bowl ads and a byword for wellness? Documenting more than a century of cross-cultural cooperation, cutting-edge science, and savvy marketing, Green Gold tells the remarkable story of the fruit's rise to prominence as both a culinary and cultural juggernaut.

Anchored by the story of two exceptional trees that stood out among hundreds of rivals, Green Gold is a spirited and often surprising behind-the-scenes look at how dedicated avocado enthusiasts in Mexico and California developed an ideal fruit to sell to the world. Navigating the Depression, two world wars, Mexican revolutions, violent drug lords, drought, and disease, these pioneers were driven by the avocado's potential to captivate the palates and hearts of consumers across the globe. Their efforts, inspired by the success of California citrus, launched today's lucrative industry and helped the avocado win a place among such supermarket staples as oranges and bananas.

Set against the rise of Southern California as an economic and cultural powerhouse and featuring delightful recipes (including vintage versions of guacamole and avocado toast), Green Gold is an entertaining and far-ranging exploration of the avocado's journey to a central place in the American diet and global imagination.

Review Quotes

"A solid, minutely documented, multifaceted and challenging work that amply rewards close reading and rereading. For years to come it's likely to be the go-to source for both scholars and lay readers seriously interested in exploring root, branch, blossom and fruit of the avocado story." --Anne Mendelson, The Wall Street Journal

"A compelling saga." --Matt Kettmann, Santa Barbara Independent

"Avocados are a status symbol and a key ingredient to California cuisine, and--in the time of tariffs--they might become an expensive delicacy . . . [A] deep dive into the surprise success of the green fruit." --Alta

"Those looking for a fact-laden ride through the avocado's nomenclature and geographical history will be delighted by this work . . . Readers interested in this type of agricultural history will surely dog-ear pages of this biography of one of the most ubiquitous fruits consumed in the country today." --Booklist

"A comprehensive history of the nursery owners, scientists, marketing whizzes, and health experts who transformed the avocado from an exotic equatorial fruit into a multibillion-dollar industry." --Publishers Weekly

"There's nothing like a great fruit with a great story-and that's exactly what avocados are, with their tale wonderfully told by Sarah Allaback and Monique F. Parsons." --Dan Koeppel, author of Banana: The Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World

"Green Gold is an impressive read. Whether you're a history buff or just enjoy a chip full of guacamole, you'll be thoroughly captivated by the play-by-play wrestling match between the two most famous varieties (Hass and fuerte), and ultimately between California and Mexico (and now the rest of the world). Green Gold is a well researched, captivating story." --Rick Bayless, James Beard Award-winning chef, author, and restaurateur

About the Author

SARAH ALLABACK is an author and historian specializing in architectural and landscape preservation. She grew up in Carpinteria, California and lives in Amherst, Massachusetts.

MONIQUE F. PARSONS is a journalist, an award-winning audio producer, and an avocado farmer. A native of Carpinteria, California, she lives in suburban Chicago.