How can I find Florida Avocados in New York City

[almcg]

I just got back from Miami and bought the most glorious avocados from a farmer's market in South Beach. Nothing like the tiny Haas varieties available in NYC stores. Any thoughts on where I can buy some in NYC? My baby daughter loves them! Thank you!!!

[pbjluver]

check out the Manhattan Fruit Exchange at Chelsea Market
212-989-2444

maybe Garden of Eden or West Side Market or Whole Foods

[boredough]

Saw them yesterday at Fairway UWS.

[bronacos]

Floridian avocados also know as Caribbean or fuertes are grown extensively in the Caribbean and can be found in neighborhood markets when in season during the summer months. As noted in a comment they do have less fat than Hass avocados therefore do not have the same rich velvety texture. Hass avocados are grown in CA, (available summer only) Chile (picked premature so they can survive the 3 week journey north) and Mexico where the avocado trees are indigious (Hass variety was grafted to native stock) and produce fruit upto four times a year. They are hand picked and shipped to US markets in 3 - 5 days and are in season all year but are especially rich now through to end of May.

[JungMann]

I usually pick up Florida avocadoes at Fairway, but I've seen them at my local green grocer as well as the standard chains (Pioneer, Associated, etc.). They're not uncommon, though not as ubiquitous as Haas.

[scubadoo97]

They are common fare in Puerto Rican cuisine. You might want to check out some ethnic markets

[rteplow]

I've seen them on the upper west side, but can't remember where. Perhaps further uptown in a more heavily latino neighborhood.

[Floridagirl]

People feel, from what I've read, that Florida avocados are not as good as Haas so they aren't readily available. I love them and I live in Florida but mostly get them at the farmers market. I planted an avocado tree but it got killed during hurricane Charley, fortunately my only damage. Avacados are hard to grow, I had that tree for three years and it was supposedly a 5 year old tree when I bought it and it has 4 fruits when it died. However, once they get going, then you have tons. It's the get going part that's hard.

[mcf]

Florida avocados have a higher water content and less creamy texture. The flavor is blander as a result of the water content, too. I prefer Hass, but will eat a FL avocado in a pinch. Fairway has them in season, always I've found.

[Scagnetti]

There is no substitute for Hass avocados, they are the best.

[fourunder]

I thought this was true too.....until I was enlightened

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/4910....

Still haven't been able to try the suggestions though.

[LNG212]

I'm sure this post will get moved over to the Manhattan board.

Fairway sometimes has Florida avocadoes as well as Haas (both from CA and from Mex). Though I have to say the one time I bought them I thought they were awful. No flavor at all and a strange (to me) texture. So I'm not sure that these will be what you experienced at a farmers' market in FL itself. Then again, I only tried that one time so maybe the fruit wasn't good that time.

[almcg]

Thanks! I had no idea of all the different kinds of avocados, but these Floridian ones were amazing. So flavorful. I'm obsessed. Maybe I can order them online. Thx again.