My NYC Fireworks 4th with Avocados From Mexico

I know the title sounds weird. My 4th of July was seasoned with Avocados from Mexico? Yes, and it was glorious, but I’ll get to all that in a minute.

Normally I go out of town on July 4th, as most New Yorkers do, but when I got a call from my lovely friends at Avocados From Mexico about staying in town to enjoy the Macy’s fireworks on the East River with my family, I immediately did a switcharoo with my plans. I mean, I had been going to the same upstate teeny tiny fireworks for years, and this was an chance to see my friends from NBC, drown my kids in ice cream (they don’t normally get too many sweets at home), and see what all the fireworks on the river fuss has been about for years. I’m so glad we went, because I’ve truly never seen anything like it.

The experience started with checking in and getting red and white striped lawn mats, collecting popcorn, cracker jacks (I haven’t had those since I was a kid!), cold water, and an easy viewing spot next to the stage (I’ll get to the stage importance soon enough). My kids were in absolute heaven. My husband was pretty excited, too, and I think the 4th of July is of a slightly different significance to him– he only came to this country about 12 years ago, but considers it an honor call the United States his home and have children with dual citizenship. He gets really misty-eyed about all this stuff, because an immigrant journey is not usually an easy one. I get really misty-eyed because I think of how lucky I am to be have been born in the country that most readily stands for freedom (of every kind, really). So, as we looked around the crowd of Americans, immigrants, and the children of immigrants, we were really grateful to see Mexican avocados participating in the event. It was sort of poetic and reaffirming.

The show itself kicked off with NBC cameras everywhere, a couple of their lovely hosts, and a variety of live shows by artists including Kelly Clarkson, James Taylor, and Flo Rida. They were all great, and my kids were dancing like maniacs way past their usual bedtime. I assume the ice cream had something to do with it. At one point, our whole family was front and center on the NBC telecast which was pretty cool (and it’ll be a great memory for the kids), and within a few minutes of that my 2 year old daughter hopped right on stage with the cameras rolling and announced “I’m the host!” Well, she wasn’t, but after discussing it a little more she confessed that hosting the NYC fireworks looked like “the funnest job ever.”

This year’s fireworks were in 3D, which meant that viewing with the special glasses gave a totally different effect. I added a little video clip to my Instagram so you could see the bursting stars visual. Super cool, right? It was pretty breathtaking.

This year’s #macysfireworks with @avocadosfrommexico were in 3D! God bless America

By the time we got home, we were totally in the mood for our own avocado toasts, so we picked up 2 super ripe blackish-greenish pebbly avocados and smashed them right up with some salt, fresh lime juice, a little crushed garlic (hey, we’re married, we can get away with that), and piled it all up on top of some sliced, toasted challah. We didn’t feel guilty about the late night snack, either, because avocados are loaded with good-for-you fats, over 20 vitamins and minerals, and aren’t crazy with calories.

Here are a few of my fave avocado tips:

How to Choose: You can spot a ripe avocado from Mexico by its green-black pebbly textured skin. When you hold the avocado, it should feel heavy for its size and have no mushy spots.
Ripening: Avocados mature on the tree, but they soften and develop their fullest flavor after picking. You can count on a firm green avocado to ripen within three to four days. If the skin is a mottled color – green with black patches – it will be ready to use in a shorter time, two to three days
Storage: Avocados can be stored at room temperature in an area with good air circulation to continue their ripening. For speedier ripening, keep avocados in a closed paper bag. To slow down ripening, refrigerate them until a few days before use.
Saving An Avocado: When saving part of an avocado for later use, cover the exposed flesh with plastic wrap to slow oxidation.

All in all, a perfect 4th of July experience. We’ll remember it forever.