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'Guac Off: Rules & Recipes for Becoming Guacamole Champion of the World'
by Nathan Myers
Photographs by Jeremiah Webster
Chronicle Books 2009
Buy it on Amazon

Making that beloved standby, guacamole, is a simple enough task when fresh avocados are on hand, relying only on the chef's personal whims and a dash of imagination.

In the case of Nathan Myers' "Guac Off," however, we are reminded of the limitations of imagination when it comes to a classic recipe. A loving ode to the avocado, the book is comprised of three parts: a history of the fruit, guidelines for hosting a "Guac Off" competition and a selection of recipes ranging from the tried-and-true to the dangerously exotic (hard-boiled eggs and cranberries, anyone?).

The background info is fascinating, delineating the dip's roots as what the Aztecs called "testicle sauce," for its purported fertile and aphrodisiac powers. Tips are downright dopey, advising cooks that "Silly hats should be worn on an 'as needed' basis," or that a culinary task should be approached "with the wily ferocity of a cornered tiger."

What we tested and whether the book's worth buying, after the jump.



Takeaway tips: Much like the Taco Bell menu, many of these recipes differed by only one element, whether it be an extra ingredient or extra servings of an ingredient. Few recipes advised readers to simply adjust seasonings "to taste," which was rather surprising in the case of a dish with such versatility. (And keep an eye on lime content: Most recipes seemed extremely heavy on the acidic stuff, which, if followed, would leave the dip alarmingly tart.)

Quality of pictures: The photos are extremely vibrant and enticing, though we'd have loved to see more images of actual dishes rather than bountiful glamor shots of individual ingredients.

We tested: Bacon Guacamole

Myers' prize guacamole, the "Brooktown Classic," appealed to us with its traditional ingredients (lime, tomato, garlic, onion, cilantro), and the charred peppers and parsley of his Guacamole de Poblanos were tempting. But, following the devil-may-care spirit of the book, the Bacon Guacamole beckoned.

Though directions were hazy at best –- he recommends broiling the peppers, garlic and tomato all at once for the same amount of time, which would have left the tomatoes uncooked and the garlic burnt to a bitter crisp – we followed our best instincts. Keeping an eye on the garlic, we pulled it out of the oven early, and the end result was fantastic: Chopped bacon added an unexpected salty zing to the creamy dip.

Worth the investment: Though this doting paean to the avocado may initially provoke some minor irritation in readers, over the course of the book we came to share Myers' enthusiasm. Nonetheless, in terms of culinary guidance, the extremely casual tone of "Guac Off" makes this a bit of a novelty book, perhaps better suited as a gift for guac-lovers than for the average cook.